Roger Lyons
Encyclopedia
Roger Lyons was the General Secretary
of the MSF
trade union from 1992 and re-elected leader of the union in 1997. When the union merged with the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union to form Amicus
in 2002 he subsequently became one of the Joint General Secretaries of Amicus.
Lyons studied for a degree in Economics at University College London
. His union career began in 1966 as a full time union official for the North West England
region of ASSET
, one of the unions which later became ASTMS
.
In 1970 he became a National Officer of ASTMS and in 1987 Assistant General Secretary. In 1988, ASTMS merged with TASS
to form MSF. In 1992 Lyons became General Secretary of MSF. He was re-elected to that position in 1997 by 67% of the members voting (turnout was 12%).
Lyons was the first General Secretary of a major trade union to be removed from office by the Trades Union Certification Officer
: Under the agreement to form Amicus, Lyons became Joint General Secretary of Amicus's MSF section. Amicus's other Joint General Secretary was Derek Simpson
, who was responsible for the AEEU section. Lyons planned to remain as JGS of Amicus until September 2007, which would result in his being a General Secretary for more than the legally mandated limit of five years (or six, allowing for the extra year granted in a new union merger).
A legal challenge resulted in a ruling in May 2004 that he should "cease forthwith to hold office as Joint General Secretary of Amicus". Lyons was therefore forced to leave over two years earlier than he had intended. Derek Simpson thus became the sole General Secretary seven months earlier than anticipated.
After the North Sea Piper Alpha disaster in which 167 men died, Lyons gave evidence to the Cullen Inquiry, which led to new safety legislation to protect off-shore workers.
Lyons was a founder member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and nominated Nelson Mandela
for his first international honour as honorary president of University College London Union
(UCLU). Lyons organised the first South African Scholarship at a British university (UCL). Lyons was an observer for the European Union in the first ever free elections in South Africa.
Lyons was President of the Trades Union Congress
(TUC) from September 2003 to September 2004, after which he retired. During this time he visited Israel and Palestine in November 2003 on behalf ot the TUC. Lyons is a long-standing member of the Trade Union Friends of Israel. He addressed a TUFI fringe meeting at the 2005 Congress of the TUC.
In February 2004 he took part in a fact-finding visit to Colombia
organised by the groupJustice for Colombia.
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the MSF
Manufacturing, Science and Finance
Manufacturing, Science and Finance was a trade union in Britain...
trade union from 1992 and re-elected leader of the union in 1997. When the union merged with the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union to form Amicus
Amicus
Amicus was the United Kingdom's second-largest trade union, and the largest private sector union, formed by the merger of Manufacturing Science and Finance, the AEEU agreed in 2001, and two smaller unions, UNIFI and the GPMU...
in 2002 he subsequently became one of the Joint General Secretaries of Amicus.
Lyons studied for a degree in Economics at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. His union career began in 1966 as a full time union official for the North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
region of ASSET
Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians
The Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians , was a British trade union, chiefly representing supervisors in the metal working and transport industries...
, one of the unions which later became ASTMS
Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs
ASTMS - The Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs was a British trade union, created in 1969 when ASSET merged with the AScW under the leadership of joint general secretaries: Clive Jenkins of ASSET and John Dutton of the AScW.ASSET, the larger of the two...
.
In 1970 he became a National Officer of ASTMS and in 1987 Assistant General Secretary. In 1988, ASTMS merged with TASS
Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section
The Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section was a British trade union.In 1970, the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association , Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers and Constructional Engineering Union amalgamated to form the Amalgamated Union of Engineering...
to form MSF. In 1992 Lyons became General Secretary of MSF. He was re-elected to that position in 1997 by 67% of the members voting (turnout was 12%).
Lyons was the first General Secretary of a major trade union to be removed from office by the Trades Union Certification Officer
Trades Union Certification Officer
The Trades Union Certification Officer was established in the United Kingdom by Act of Parliament in 1975.-Responsibilities:The Certification Officer is responsible for:* maintaining a list of trade unions and employers' associations...
: Under the agreement to form Amicus, Lyons became Joint General Secretary of Amicus's MSF section. Amicus's other Joint General Secretary was Derek Simpson
Derek Simpson (trade unionist)
Derek Simpson is the former Joint General Secretary of the UK's biggest private-sector trade union, Unite from 2007 until 2010. He was General Secretary of the Amicus trade union from 2002 until its merger with the Transport and General Workers' Union to form Unite in 2007.-Early life:Derek...
, who was responsible for the AEEU section. Lyons planned to remain as JGS of Amicus until September 2007, which would result in his being a General Secretary for more than the legally mandated limit of five years (or six, allowing for the extra year granted in a new union merger).
A legal challenge resulted in a ruling in May 2004 that he should "cease forthwith to hold office as Joint General Secretary of Amicus". Lyons was therefore forced to leave over two years earlier than he had intended. Derek Simpson thus became the sole General Secretary seven months earlier than anticipated.
After the North Sea Piper Alpha disaster in which 167 men died, Lyons gave evidence to the Cullen Inquiry, which led to new safety legislation to protect off-shore workers.
Lyons was a founder member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and nominated Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
for his first international honour as honorary president of University College London Union
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCLU). Lyons organised the first South African Scholarship at a British university (UCL). Lyons was an observer for the European Union in the first ever free elections in South Africa.
Lyons was President of the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC) from September 2003 to September 2004, after which he retired. During this time he visited Israel and Palestine in November 2003 on behalf ot the TUC. Lyons is a long-standing member of the Trade Union Friends of Israel. He addressed a TUFI fringe meeting at the 2005 Congress of the TUC.
In February 2004 he took part in a fact-finding visit to Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
organised by the groupJustice for Colombia.
See also
- MSFManufacturing, Science and FinanceManufacturing, Science and Finance was a trade union in Britain...
- AmicusAmicusAmicus was the United Kingdom's second-largest trade union, and the largest private sector union, formed by the merger of Manufacturing Science and Finance, the AEEU agreed in 2001, and two smaller unions, UNIFI and the GPMU...
- ATU NetworkATU NetworkATU Network is a caucus group within the Amicus trade union which seeks to attract members and employees of Amicus who support the Labour Party and who are sympathetic to Blairism...