I may well attend if I can.

Out of interest, can you join at the meeting and participate in votes? I haven't been a FoSBR member since moving away from Bristol many years ago, but would be happy to join again.

Typical!  I posted mine within seconds of grahame posting his!  I've simply merged them here, with apologies for the overlap. 

Mick Lynch, head of the country's largest railway union, has announced his retirement.

He became general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers in 2021, and under his leadership the union staged a series of strikes over pay in 2022 and 2023, culminating in a deal with the new Labour government this summer.

Feted by supporters for his straight-talking style, he was attacked by critics for his £84,000 salary and for the disruption caused by the union's industrial action.

In a statement, Mr Lynch did not give a reason for standing down but said it had "been a privilege to serve this union for over 30 years in all capacities", adding it was now "time for change".  Mr Lynch will stay in his role until May, when RMT members elect a new general secretary.

He said there was a need for a strong union for rail workers, but that a strong organisation needed "renewal and change".  He said he was proud of serving the union, adding: "This union has been through a lot of struggles in recent years, and I believe that it has only made it stronger despite all the odds."

At 16, he left school and trained to be an electrician, before finding work in construction.  As industrial action ebbed and flowed in the 1980s, Mr Lynch became involved in a breakaway union and was secretly blacklisted by constructions companies, leaving him struggling to find work for years.

When the blacklist was exposed decades later, Mr Lynch was compensated with a cheque for £35,000, a copy of which hangs framed on his office wall.  He went on to found the Electrical and Plumbing Industries Union (EPIU) in 1988, before joining the RMT.

He took charge of the RMT at a time of deep internal divisions.  Mr Lynch's predecessor as general secretary, Mick Cash, retired in 2020 after six years in the job, blaming a "campaign of harassment" by elements of the membership.

Mr Lynch was appointed acting general secretary, but soon stood down himself, accusing senior union members of "bullying" and creating "an intolerable, toxic atmosphere".  He then returned and won election to the role permanently in May 2021.

Mick Lynch, head of the country's largest railway union, has announced his retirement.

He became general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers in 2021, and under his leadership the union staged a series of strikes over pay in 2022 and 2023, culminating in a deal with the new Labour government this summer.

Feted by supporters for his straight-talking style, he was attacked by critics for his £84,000 salary and for the disruption caused by the union's industrial action.

In a statement, Mr Lynch did not give a reason for standing down but said it had "been a privilege to serve this union for over 30 years in all capacities", adding it was now "time for change".

Mr Lynch will stay in his role until May, when RMT members elect a new general secretary.

Rite of passage yesterday - the first time (in nearly 5 years) I forgot to "press" the Senior Railcard "button" on the ticket machine screen.....must be getting old and forgetful

Ryanair is pursuing legal action against a passenger who allegedly caused a major disruption on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote.

The airline is seeking £12,500 in damages to cover expenses incurred when the plane had to divert to Porto, Portugal.

On Wednesday, the airline announced it had filed proceedings against the passenger, whose behaviour on the flight last April was described as "inexcusable" and "completely unacceptable".

Ryanair stated that it will "continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft" in an effort to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers.

The airline said the passenger's behaviour forced the flight in question to divert to Porto, where it was delayed overnight, and caused 160 passengers to "face unnecessary disruption as well as losing a full day of their holiday".

The damages sought would cover the cost of overnight accommodation and other expenses for the passengers affected by the diversion.

Announcing what the airline described as a "major clampdown", a spokesperson on the airline's website said, "It is unacceptable that passengers - many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday - are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger's behaviour."

The airline added it hoped the civil proceedings in the Irish court would deter further disruptive behaviour on flights.  The passenger has not been named.

Under EU laws, passengers are entitled to compensation for flights within the EU that are cancelled or delayed by three hours or more.  Hotel accommodation must be offered free of charge if an overnight stay becomes necessary, as well as transport between the hotel and the airport along with a free meal and refreshments.

A passenger who disrupted a Ryanair flight to Athens in 2020 was convicted last month in a Greek court and given a five-month suspended jail sentence, along with a €400 ($412) fine.

BBC News has asked Ryanair for comment on the details of the incident.

Personally I think £35 still represents a very good deal for one year's travel. You only need to make one very long journey or about 3 journeys of say  70+ miles and return to make that pay.  I suspect most of us (especially those of us elderly senior railcard holders) will easily manage that. If not, then a reasonable number of local journeys (one or two each month) will.

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