OUR union, TSSA, gathers this year for its annual conference in Sheffield against a backdrop of upheaval at home and abroad. 

As trade unionists we refuse to bury our heads in the sand — it’s not in our nature because we exist to take head-on the many challenges facing our members and to shape wider society in favour of working people.

I say this with great pride as we prepare to celebrate our 125th birthday! 

Since our inception as the National Association of General Railway Clerks on May 9 1897, much has changed for the better, of course.

We have safer workplaces, shorter working hours and better provision for time off work, holiday pay, maternity and paternity rights. We also have greater diversity across our union family. 

On the flipside, we have seen the madness of Tory rail industry reprivatisation, with profit placed at the heart of what should always be a public good.

Our union warned against this when we celebrated our centenary, and today we continue to stand steadfastly against failed Tory privatisation dogma. 

That’s why, we continue campaigning extremely hard against this madness as it defines our values and those of our movement against those of the Tory capitalist class. It’s also how we go about making sure we are true to all the great deeds of our forebears. 

In practice, this also means being in the best possible shape to continue fighting every day for every single one of our members and building our strength in every workplace.

Our rail, transport and travel sectors have been turned upside down by the pandemic.

Too many jobs have been lost and sadly more are going; businesses have gone to the wall and people have not yet fully returned to public transport. 

At the same time, we have a Tory government which point-blank refuses to listen to reason.

When ministers should be putting more money into our public transport network they are making drastic cuts which further reduce services and therefore ridership. 

That is why we are warning about the growing likelihood of a nationwide rail dispute and have started consultations with our reps across all our companies because we stand ready to ballot for industrial action. 

Government cuts would be bad enough if it was simply yet another case of the usual crazy Tory economics, but is made far worse by the fact that rail must be front and centre when it comes to tackling what is now a very pressing climate emergency. 

With all this in mind, I’m pleased to say our union has refused to sit on the sidelines.

Our workplace representatives and our members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a merger with our comrades in the Boilermakers (International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers).

Our gathering in Sheffield will discuss this further and I hope it becomes a reality because it guarantees our members’ strength and security for many, many years to come. 

You know, a transatlantic merger is certainly something new for British and Irish trade unionism, but what’s on offer is a golden opportunity which will see our union flourish no matter what is thrown our way.

Our union will become an even more potent force in  workplaces across Britain and Ireland. 

The time is right for this, not only because of the impact of the pandemic, the ongoing fallout from Brexit and the escalating cost-of-living crisis working people are facing, but also because we can’t ignore the turmoil brought about by naked Russian aggression in Europe.

Vladimir Putin’s criminal war against the people of Ukraine will continue to shake the kaleidoscope, politically and economically, for some time to come. 

Already we have seen brave railway workers in Belarus take drastic action by sabotaging their own rail network to halt the Russian military in its tracks.

These rail workers are heroes and we must stand with them for they are at the sharp end of this terrible illegal war.

As ever, the voices of trade unionists will be vital when it comes to shaping the domestic and international response to the horrors being visited on Ukraine. 

While spending on defence is likely to rise in response to Putin’s aggression, we must be ready to block any government moves which would result in further cuts to our industries to pay for this. 

Be in no doubt, our union will stand up and speak up for working people in the face of aggression, whatever form that may take; we will always protect our members across our travel and transport industries — just as we have done for the past century and a quarter. 

Manuel Cortes is TSSA (The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association) general secretary.