9 May 2022 125 anniversary day events

On Monday 9 May 2022 we celebrated the 125th anniversary of TSSA. 

Our union was founded in Sheffield in 1897, and we returned to the city of our birth to mark our anniversary.

The TSSA 125 event on Monday 9 May 2022 took place at the Mercure St. Paul’s Hotel, Sheffield. It featured an exhibition setting out our history, films were shown, and there were 17 stalls, exhibition stands, and various entertainments including speeches and performances. 

The proceedings were punctuated by a number of VIP guest speakers from across the trade union and Labour movement, including current and former general secretaries and Labour MPs. 

A bus tour of Sheffield was available using a former London Transport Routemaster bus, which took in sites important to TSSA and its members. 

Speakers and Entertainments

There were speakers throughout the day, punctuated by entertainment provided by Banner Theatre and comedian Mark Thomas.

Melissa Heywood and Gemma Southgate, members of TSSA’s Executive Committee, ran the stage, introducing the speakers and entertainment.

The running order was:

11:10             Mick Carney, President, TSSA

11:15             Gerry Doherty, former General Secretary, TSSA

11:25             Mick Whelan, General Secretary, ASLEF

11:35             Katy Clark, Member of the Scottish Parliament

11:55             Banner Theatre performance

12:40             Richard Rosser, former General Secretary, TSSA

12:50             Loraine Martins, Global Lead for Diversity and Inclusion, Nichols (a consultancy of strategic transformation specialists) and former Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Network Rail

13:05             Eoin Coates, Head of Aviation, European Transport Workers Federation (ETF)

13:25             Performance by comedian Mark Thomas

13:55             Ian Prosser, Chief Inspector of Railways and Director Railway Safety, Office for Rail and Road (ORR)

14:05             Rozanne Foyer, General Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)

14:15             Paul Nowak, Deputy General Secretary, Trades Union Congress (TUC

14:25             Alana Dave, Urban Transport Director, International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)

14:35             Thomas O'Connor, Deputy General Secretary, National Bus & Rail Union (Ireland)

15:00             Banner Theatre performance

15:45             Manuel Cortes, General Secretary, TSSA