Papers of John Lyons (1926-2016), trade union leader

Records relating to Lyons's trade union career and to energy policy in the UK and Europe.

Lyons was assistant to the market research manager of the Vacuum Oil Company, 1950-1951, and research officer of the Bureau of Current Affairs, 1951-1952. His trade union career began when he became the research officer of the Post Office Engineering Union from 1952. He became an assistant secretary of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants in 1957 and its deputy general secretary in 1966. In 1973 he became general secretary of the Electrical Power Engineers? Association and of the Engineers? and Managers? Association on its formation in 1977, holding both posts until his retirement in 1991. He was also secretary of the Electricity Supply Trade Union Council from 1976, joint secretary of the National Joint Co-ordinating Committee of the Electricity Supply Industry, 1980-1990, and of the National Joint Negotiating Committee of the Electricity Supply Industry, 1980-1986. He was elected to the General Council of the Trades Union Congress in 1983 and was awarded the CBE in 1986. The other bodies on which he held part-time posts included the National Enterprise Board, 1976-1979, the Industrial Participation Association, 1976-1990, and the Engineering Council, 1982-1986. From 1996 to 1998 he was president of the Single Market Observatory, an organisation formed by the European Union to promote the European single market.