TSSA Journal November/December 2002

DRS was set up in 1996 by British Nuclear Fuels as a dedicated freight service. Based in the north west, the company now employs around 160 employees, 49 of whom are clerical, supervisory or managerial staff.

Initially, as a totally new company there were no recognition agreements in place and, with an excellent working environment and a small tight knit workforce with a ’family atmosphere’, this was not considered or needed.

However, as the company and workforce grew, differences began to emerge.

One issue that was quickly seen as a tool to help organise a TSSA campaign was the fact that ASLEF had secured recognition for their drivers and used this to negotiate new terms and conditions for their members: TSSA members wanted the same.

So TSSA member Norman Egglestone, and his fellow members, along with TSSA Organiser Belinda Robertson, set off to recruit more members to build support for formal recognition.

Following a meeting between TSSA General Secretary, Richard Rosser and DRS Managing Director, Neil McNicholas, TSSA was granted access to the site and so began the journey to establish relationships and start talking to staff about what they wanted.

Norman, who has been at DRS since 1999, having spent 14 years working in British Rail and then Virgin, says they ’sold’ TSSA to many colleagues by likening membership to insurance.

"You have no real wish to use it but if anything does happen you will thank your lucky stars you were covered," he explains.

"Now we have well over half of all salaried employees at DRS recruited to TSSA with more to follow. Formal recognition is just a matter of time now."

Belinda says that an important aspect of the campaign has been the way members have organised themselves and worked together to keep their colleagues and their union up to date.

"Working together has reinforced the belief that we can build union strength when we engage with members," says Belinda.

"The work undertaken by members themselves has given TSSA a strong foundation to negotiate for what members want."

Norman says it has been hard work, but worth the effort. "It hasn’t been a piece of cake but if we can persuade enough people to join the TSSA in a company where there are few major concerns over employment conditions then it is possible anywhere."