Representing travel
Representing travel
TSSA is proud to be a leading travel union and transport workers union, representing employees across the UK travel industry and travel trade.
Our members work for a wide range of organisations, including Hays Travel, TUI, BA Holidays, Budget Travel, Air Miles Travel, Centre Travel, First Choice, Gold Medal Travel, Gullivers Travel and Knock Travel. We also continue to support many former Thomas Cook employees. Whether you work for a major travel brand, independent agency or airline operator, TSSA is the travel agent union dedicated to protecting your rights and interests at work.
Our members perform vital roles throughout the travel industry, from retail travel consultants and call centre teams to head office professionals, managers and operational staff. We represent employees across clerical, retail, management and customer service functions, making TSSA a trusted union for travel workers across the sector.
As a recognised transport workers union, we understand the challenges facing travel businesses and their employees. In an industry shaped by economic pressures, changing consumer demand and ongoing transformation, having the support of a professional travel union is more important than ever. We work to ensure employees have a strong voice in the workplace while advocating for the long-term success of the sector.
Unlike a trade association for travel agents, which primarily supports businesses, TSSA exists to represent employees. Our members benefit from workplace representation, expert advice, legal support and collective bargaining, helping them navigate challenges throughout their careers.
TSSA has also supported workers through some of the industry's most difficult moments. Following the collapse of Thomas Cook, we successfully fought for compensation on behalf of former employees, demonstrating the value of belonging to a travel union when it matters most.
Thomas Cook collapse case study
Graham Whitehead worked for Thomas Cook Travel in Peterborough. After 30 years at the company he lost his job when the company went into liquidation in September 2019, leaving him unemployed just a few years away from retirement. But 18 months later, TSSA won compensation for him and other former Thomas Cook employees.
Despite the company collapsing, TSSA was able to pursue a tribunal case for members with the help of specialist law firm Morrish Solicitors. We secured a judgment against Thomas Cook for a protective award of 90 days’ pay for each of the affected employees. Overall, the tribunal outcome meant that up to 1,500 former Thomas Cook employees could claim as much as £4,200 each – a huge result for staff who were left with nothing when the company collapsed.
“The judgement is good”, said Graham. “Morrish have worked very hard on it and TSSA have been very helpful. It shows the necessity of belonging to a trade union. Employment law can be very difficult for an individual to navigate. I’ve always been a member of a union and this is another example of why it’s so important. You can’t fight these things on your own.”
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