Who is RMT leader Mick Lynch?
MICK Lynch is known for fighting for the rights of his union members.
He is the boss of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union.
Who is RMT leader Mick Lynch?
Mick Lynch was born in January 1962 in West London to Irish Catholic parents and is the youngest of their five children.
His parents emigrated during World War Two, his father worked as a labourer and postman, and his mother worked as a cleaner.
He grew up in Paddington, London, and left school when he was 16.
He went on to qualify as an electrician before moving into construction.
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He joined a trade union but found himself illegally blacklisted as a result.
Twenty years later, he received a large settlement for the blacklisting.
After struggling to find jobs in construction, he began working for Eurostar in 1993.
He became an active member of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) during his time there.
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In 2022, Lynch received a lot of media attention as the RMT announced the rail strikes.
He has been interviewed by the BBC, Sky News, TalkTV and ITV.
What is Mick Lynch's salary?
There have been some heated debates about how much Lynch is paid in his position.
It has been widely reported that after becoming General Secretary his pay packet was worth over £124k.
This was alleged in an interview on TalkTV by Piers Morgan which Mick denied.
According to the RMT AGM report in 2021, the General Secretary's basic wage of £105,218 was reduced by 20 per cent to £84,174.
The report said the changes to wages were suggested by Lynch following his election.
The same document states the Assistant General Secretary's salary has decreased 10 per cent from £80,666 to £72, 599.
The RMT tweeted on January 6, 2023, that his salary is "decided by his members".
It added: "When he was elected he suggested to his members that he should take a pay cut. They agreed.
"He doesn’t get any ‘bonuses’. He donates his salary on strike days to the dispute hardship fund. Let’s hope this sinks in."
When did Mick Lynch become RMT General Secretary?
Lynch served two terms as Assistant General Secretary of the RMT and two terms as its executive.
In 2020 he was appointed as the acting General Secretary but stood down after a few months.
He stood down after accusing members of the union's national executive of bullying and harassment.
But in May 2021, he stood and won the election for the permanent position of General Secretary.
He is expected to serve a five-year term until May 3, 2026.
What has Mick Lynch said about the rail strikes?
Rail, Maritime and Transport union members have been striking in their thousands over job losses, pay and conditions.
The union claims Network Rail and the train operating companies have hit their staff with multiyear pay freezes.
They further claim that they also plan to cut thousands of jobs and that these cuts will make the railways unsafe.
On June 19, 2022, Mick warned the walkouts may only be the start.
The union leader said the rail strike will go on “as long as it needs to”.
Lynch insisted that they "don't want to cause misery" when they announced the biggest rail strike in 33 years.
He said: "We've got a cost of living crisis and our workers have been working throughout the pandemic and their reward has been a pay freeze.
"I understand the anger of people - but I also understand the anger of our workers.
"We're not holding the public hostage - but we're not going to accept the poverty of our members.
"I would like to find another way other than strike but we've been talking to these companies for two years.
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"You're asking us to be passive in the face of aggression."
The next set of rail strikes is scheduled for May 31, 2023, June 2 and June 3, 2023.