Londoners already hit by crippling Tube strikes were left furious today after a message from one of the capital’s top union chiefs was branded “insulting” by critics.
Jared Wood, the RMT’s Regional Organiser in London, whose striking members can earn more than £65,000 a year, said he had “great sympathy” with passengers stranded by the week-long walkout, but insisted strike action was the only option left.
“We have great sympathy with commuters trying to get around. Nobody wants to be taking this action, our members are losing their pay as well,” Mr Wood told the Express.
“They want to be getting back to running the service. But we only have one way available to us to try and press the issues that our members have raised, and that is to take strike action. Once the employer stops engaging with us, what other option do we have?”
But the remarks sparked an angry backlash from City Hall Tories.
Susan Hall, Tory leader in London, said: “Yes, they are paid far too much. Given they go on strike at the drop of a hat.
“Some of them can get paid upwards of £70K, and for what? It’s a cushy job, and it’s a closed shop.
“The public, Londoners, they’re dead against this strike. They just want to get into work, and get on with their lives. How on earth are doctors and nurses supposed to get to their shifts?”
She added: “The whole network should have been automated years ago. The RMT are holding all of us to ransom. His message to commuters? Empty. Hollow. Pointless, and insulting. The RMT doesn’t care what Londoners think, they only care about themselves. They’re taking the complete mick out of us all.”
Strikes across the Underground are set to continue for the rest of the week, with the RMT demanding a 75 per cent discount on all rail travel as one of their demands.
Tube services will see “little to no service” expected across all lines.
On Tuesday and Thursday there will be no service on the DLR, one of the lines which delivers commuters into Canary Wharf.
They are also demanding a reduced working week, down to 32 hours.
When announcing the strikes last month, RMT Boss Eddie Dempsey said: “Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock.”
He added that workers “are not after a King’s ransom”, despite drivers being on more than £65,000 a year.