Richard Andrew Rosser, Baron Rosser (born 5 October 1944) is a British former

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

leader and Labour politician, sitting in the House of Lords. He is the Shadow Spokesperson for Transport and Home Affairs for Labour in the House of Lords.

Trade Union career

Initially employed by London Transport he joined the staff of the

Transport Salaried Staffs' Association The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) is a trade union for workers in the transport and travel industries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its head office is in London, and it has regional offices in Bristol, Derby, Dublin, Manche ...

(TSSA) early in his working career, representing London Transport's white-collar staff in negotiations with the management. He rose through the ranks of the TSSA to be an Assistant General Secretary (one of two, at the time), and in 1989 he was elected General Secretary of the union (i.e. in day-to-day control, but answerable to an elected Executive Committee of lay members, and to the Annual Conference). Rosser was re-elected twice, serving a total of fifteen years in office before his retirement in 2004 – a record second only to the thirty years (1906-1936) served by

Alexander Walkden Alexander George Walkden, 1st Baron Walkden (11 May 1873 – 25 April 1951) was a British trade union leader and Labour Party (UK), Labour politician. Trade unionism In 1906 Walkden was appointed the fourth General Secretary of the Railway Clerks ...

. During his time at the TSSA, Rosser was also a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

and was Chairman of the

National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...

of the Labour Party in 1997–98.

Political activity

Rosser was the Labour candidate for

Croydon Central Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensive ...

at the general election of February 1974, but was not elected.

House of Lords

Following his retirement from TSSA he was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

on 14 June 2004 as Baron Rosser, of

Ickenham Ickenham is an area in Greater London, forming the eastern part of Uxbridge and within the London Borough of Hillingdon. While no major historical events have taken place in Ickenham, settlements dating back to the Roman occupation of Britain ...

in the

London Borough of Hillingdon The London Borough of Hillingdon () is the largest and westernmost borough in West London, England. It was formed from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the ceremonial county ...

, taking his seat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

on the Labour Party benches in the summer of 2004. In addition to transport matters, he takes an interest in penal policy, being chair of the Prison Service Audit Committee and a non-executive member of the Prison Service change programme board. He has served as an Opposition Whip and Spokesperson for the Labour Party on defence, home affairs and transport at various times since 2010.

References

External links

House of Lords member profile
1944 births People educated at Haydon School Living people General Secretaries of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association Labour Party (UK) life peers Chairs of the Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress Life peers created by Elizabeth II {{UK-trade-unionist-bio-stub