He studied Medicine in Valladolid and completed the Resident Physician (MIR) exam at Hospital La Paz in Madrid. There he obtained the position of Attending Physician in Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology.
In 1977 he joined the Spanish trade union CC.OO. He was Secretary General of the CCOO Health Federation from 1981 to 1987.
In 1986 he became part of the Confederal Executive Commission, where he was responsible for Institutional Relations and, as such, participated in all bipartite and tripartite social dialogue processes.
In 2000 he was elected Secretary General of CC.OO. leaving the position in 2009.
Since 2009 he has been the President of Foro Negocia in the Centre for Mediation and Negotiation at IE Business School.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fundación Arquitectura y Sociedad.
He has collaborated in providing reports and opinions on the maintenance of Social Protection Systems (UNESPA 1 and 2) and on good governance of the health system.