RMT chief Eddie Dempsey has claimed that tube drivers on £72,000 a year were not making enough to buy a home in London, reflecting the union boss’ militant position on ongoing tube strikes.
The union boss told Times Radio he made “no apologies” for the ongoing strike as he said the salary, which is around £25,000 higher than median earnings in the capital, was not “out-of-this-world”.
Tube drivers currently earn between £65,000 and £75,000.
Dempsey said that he would be “fighting hard” for RMT comrades.
“I think workers should be able to afford to live in London,” Dempsey said.
“If the average house price, if you’ve got to be earning more than £100,000 to buy a house in London, £72,000 is not out of this world.”
“I think £72,000 is a good wage, but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be asking for improvements in wages in terms of conditions.”
RMT-Khan clash keeps tube strikes going
Dempsey also said he was worried about “what happens to people when they do get to work” as he complained about tube drivers’ poor conditions, with tube strikers seeking to get more discounts on travel beyond work times.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has failed to persuade the union to agree to a 3.4 per cent pay rise amid the RMT’s demand for a shorter working hour week of 32 hours, leaving commuters and business owners in despair.
Business owners have complained that restaurants and pubs are set to suffer from less revenue.
The tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg suggested the total cost to London’s economy could be £230m as it said hospitality business owners should be refunded through tax holidays.
The tube strikes are set to end in phases this week, but the RMT is threatening to widen industrial action beyond the London Underground and DLR.
Khan has explained he was not prepared to intervene on the strikes with a more generous offer but he has called for RMT negotiators to engage with the Transport for London.
In his interview with Times Radio on Wednesday morning, Dempsey hinted that he had not heard from Khan.
“The Mayor of London, instead of going on Twitter, tweeting about getting around the table, ought to send us an invitation,” Dempsey said.
“We’ll attend and do our best to reach a settlement.”