Britain is set to face extensive travel chaos later this month, when thousands of railway workers partake in a strike for three days.
The Head of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, Mick Lynch has come under fire from employees and members of the public as his pay packet exceeds £124,000 a year.
Since joining the RMT in 2015, Mr Lynch has earned a staggering £763,000.
Mr Lynch has been prevalent in the media, criticising celebrities who disagreed with "mansion tax" proposals set out by Labour leader Ed Miliband in 2014 and for offering to arrange rail tickets for comedian Griff Rhys Jones to vacate the country.
Mick Lynch earns over £120k a year
Dominic Lipinski
Members of the RMT Union will walk out after pay cuts and job losses
Gareth Fuller
Bob Crow, who held the role prior to Mr Lynch, lived in a humble council house, whereas the 60-year-old chooses to occupy a sprawling West London home worth more than £730,000.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Network Rail, alongside 13 train operators, will walk out on June 21, 23 and 25.
Another 24-hour strike has been announced on the London Underground, in a separate row over jobs and pensions.
Tube workers will strike on June 21 to coincide with the initial rail strike, in a move which will ignite chaos for travellers across the UK.
Union members voted in huge numbers last month, for action against pay cuts and job losses.
ScotRail is involved in a separate dispute, and further chaos could be caused by signalling staff joining the action.
The rail operators involved in the strike are:
- Chiltern Railways
- Cross Country Trains
- Greater Anglia
- LNER
- East Midlands Railway
- c2c
- Great Western Railway
- Northern Trains
- Southeastern
- South Western Railway
- Transpennine Express
- Avanti West Coast
- West Midlands Trains
Festival-goers are warned of journey disruptions, as they make their way to Glastonbury on June 22.
Members of the RMT union will walk out on June 21, 23 and 25 reeking havoc for travellers across the UK
Dominic Lipinski
Other events affected include England v New Zealand in a Test match in Leeds, the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester, and concerts in Hyde Park, London, where Elton John will perform on June 24 and the Rolling Stones on June 25.
Network Rail are continuing to liaise with trade unions regarding the strike action.
Chief Executive Andres Haines remains confident, adding: "We're doing everything we can to avoid strike action on the railway."
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated: "It is incredibly disappointing the RMT have decided to take action that could drive passengers away from the rail network for good.
"The pandemic has changed travel habits – with 25 percent fewer ticket sales and the taxpayer stepping in to keep the railways running at a cost of £16billion, equivalent to £600 per household.
"We must act now to put the industry on a sustainable footing.
"We are working with industry to reduce disruption caused by strike action, but unions are jumping the gun by announcing this when talks have only just begun.
"We once again want to urge the unions to come to talks with the rail industry so we can work together to build a better, more modern, passenger-focused railway."
