Once a union gets involved in a dispute or allegation, the truth or otherwise is often immaterial. Typically vitriol spews forth regardless of whether the allegation is being investigated. Grandstanding threats are made and union bosses usually try to have us believe that the stance they are taking is the minimum their members will expect.

For the rest of us looking on it is an itch you cannot reach; permanently irritating. One rail union seems to take particular glee in shouting the odds and threatening commuters with constant disruption to their daily lives.

It does no one any good at all to take such a combative stance.

So it is an utterly refreshing change to hear something conciliatory from a union; and all the credit goes to TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty. Regardless of the fact that it was the TSSA that made the original accusations that Iain Coucher and Network Rail were, for the very most part, exonerated, it takes a gracious man to admit fault in such a public manner as Doherty has done.

Put quite simply, Doherty’s response to QC Anthony White’s findings is exactly what an honourable man should have said. The fact that it is a union leader making that kind of response is what’s newsworthy.

The TSSA’s response is extremely welcome and perhaps marks a change of tone coming from the rail unions. We can only hope and others should take note.