Transport Salaried Staffs' Association

12 December 2011

In the battle to save Bombardier's Derby works - and with it, train manufacturing in Britain, the very personal commitment that many of its workers have shown to the rail industry is sometimes forgotten.

Ant Barrable talks to one of TSSA's longest serving members, Bombardier staff rep Ken Cook, who will soon be leaving the industry after 47 years service.

I was born in Derby in 1947 and spent my childhood living across the road from the Derby Carriage Works. Little did I realise that 64 years later I would finish my working career within 100 yards of my family home!

I started working for British Railways in 1964 at the Derby Midland Booking Office. My main task was issuing privilege tickets to railway staff and their families - something which at the time warranted a two shift ticket window such were the number of employees in Derby! A Cheap Day Return to London was just 12 shillings and sixpence - 62p. On my first day I was handed a TSSA membership form and I've been a member of the Association all my working life - 47 years all told.

When in 1966 redundancies were mooted the decision had to be made between leaving the railway and following a professional musical career. I really wanted to be a rock musician but the thought of keeping free travel for life against going into an industry of which the experts said 'Pop music will be dead in two years' made up my mind. I transferred to the Derby Loco Works and carried on my music as a semi-pro. This I have continued right through my career, albeit hard work combining the two.

Across the railways and associated workshops it felt like one massive family working for British Railways. Nearly everyone had one simple goal: to run a state owned system that they could be proud of.

For 20 years I was the clerk controlling the wagons that used to bring almost all supplies into the works, then I looked after the lorries that were brought in to replace them. As this work declined I did various purchasing and inventory jobs until I was made redundant in 1993 by ABB - the first private owner of what had been British Rail Engineering Ltd. I then managed to secure an admin assistant's role actually based in my old infants school at Cotton Lane Gate. Finally I transferred back to one of my old roles as a Time and Attendance Clerk and this is where my career ends 47 years on, facing redundancy, due to the loss of the Thameslink contract. I made it simple and volunteered for redundancy, through which I'll benefit from the enhanced redundancy terms TSSA and the other unions have negotiated.

So after all these years of being a semi-pro musician I can now turn to that side of my life full time, rocking on with two bands and progressing my song writing skills.

Being a TSSA member for 47 years and a local council rep for 25 years I'll of course retain my membership of the union and stay involved at arms length.

Having enjoyed such a fulfilling career in the railways, my biggest wish would be for the young apprentices still being trained at Bombardier - and all those others joining the firm - to have a future in the industry. To give them the chances that I enjoyed I'm active in the campaigns to keep train building in Britain and to save the Derby works and encourage union members to join in, whether local or not.

Ken was due to leave the company this November but due to ongoing issues surrounding redundancies has agreed to stay on until the end of the year. This is typical of Ken's commitment to the TSSA in seeing this latest redundancy process through. The A, B & C grades, in which TSSA have sole recognition rights, will need someone to step into Ken's shoes when he leaves the company. To find out more speak to Ant Barrable via barrablet@tssa.org.uk / 07894390481.

For Ken's music visit www.strangedaysderby.com or for more on the campaign to save Bombardier see http://togetherfortransport. org/save-bombardier.