LGBT+ | TSSA

Introduction

Inclusive Rail is TSSA's campaign to make the railway inclusive of LGBTQ+ people by 2025. We will engage with individuals and groups who want to be part of making a difference, through collaboration and workplace leadership. Our campaign includes the following elements and will grow as we work with others to make the railway LGBTQ+ inclusive.

LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), and others. The "plus" represents other sexual identities including pansexual and Two-Spirit. The first four letters of the acronym have been used since the 1990s, but in recent years there has been an increased awareness of the need to be inclusive of other sexual identities to offer better representation.

TSSA - 5 Year Challenge

LGBTQ+ TSSA

TSSA’s strong commitment to respect and equality for everyone means that we take our beliefs to the workplace. TSSA reps are trained to challenge disrespectful, offensive and discriminatory language in the workplace.

TSSA reps put forward and negotiate policies that encourage fair pay, fair practices and workplace policies that encourage LGBTQ+ staff or family members to feel themselves at work, to discuss their partners and their gay and lesbian family and friends without fear.

TSSA is proud of our partnership with Stonewall as a Diversity Champion (the first with a trade union). The Diversity Champions programme is the leading employers’ programme for ensuring all LGBTQ+ staff are free to be themselves in the workplace.

Stonewall work with over 900 organisations across the UK. Every one of their Diversity Champions shares the core belief in the power of a workplace that truly welcomes, respects and represents LGBTQ+ employees.

LGBT+ Bargaining Standards

TSSA Equality Bargaining Standards help our Workplace Representatives secure equality and diversity outcomes through collective bargaining, that benefit our members and potential members. A standard includes clearly identified outcomes and practical mechanisms by which to reach them. This ensures our members who work for different employers achieve a standard of working conditions across the industry. Workplace Representatives and active members, whether they have experience of the issues or not, can present our standard to their employer in a variety of forums, negotiate improvements and work together on joint initiatives until our TSSA Gold Standard is achieved. LGBT+ Inclusive Workplaces is one of a handful of bargaining standards that are designed to promote improvements in terms of equality and diversity where ever TSSA organises.

Together, these standards build a picture of what our union stands for and how we are working to change the lives of our members at work. TSSA members will introduce this bargaining standard to their employers. The standard is not a document we will ask employers to sign as such. Where possible our members will work with employers to audit themselves against the standard and identify areas for improvement. Employers can then identify practical actions from our standard to work on with TSSA that best fit their circumstances. For our Reps, the standard enables them to measure the good work they are doing and plan for what they want and need to achieve. For our members, achieving our gold standard in this area will mean their employer has made a significant effort to ensure they can be their authentic selves in their workplace. For employers, our standard includes practical actions that can be taken positively and collaboratively with TSSA members, so they can achieve an inclusive workplace.

Inclusive Rail poster with rainbow banner, LGBT+ Inclusive Workplaces black text and white man in stripey jumper sat down

LGBTQ+ Role Models

We are excited to announce the digital launch of a new series of LGBTQ+ role model posters, featuring three TSSA members from across the rail industry. These new posters are in addition to our hugely popular posters already visible in many workplaces across the rail industry and they are crucial in our campaign to make the railway LGBTQ+ inclusive by 2025. We have developed posters of TSSA LGBTQ+ role models to be distributed and put up in workplaces.

These posters are designed to break down the stereotypes and to show the great LGBTQ+ professionals that are part of TSSA and the backbone of the rail industry. Each role model has a 'Challenge' poster, which challenges stereotypes, and a 'Proud' poster, which is about being out and being part of TSSA.

Request campaign materials below to access copies of our Role Model posters and support LGBTQ+ visibility in your workplace.