More than a third of leaders in British trade unions earned six-figure salaries in the last financial year, according to figures released by the regulator the Certification Officer. Of 131 union bosses, 45 received salaries and benefits exceeding £100,000, with one in six earning £170,000 or more – a figure comparable to the Prime Minister's salary.
One union leader received a total package of £725,000, comprising a £649,000 salary and £76,000 in benefits. This individual leads the Professional Footballers' Association. Another high earner was the head of the International Transport Workers' Federation, who received a £235,000 salary and £44,000 in benefits.
These figures have drawn criticism, with William Yarwood of the TaxPayers' Alliance stating, "If these champagne socialists want to lecture the country on fairness, they should start by explaining why their own rewards keep rising while membership falls." This sentiment was echoed by Tory MP Greg Smith, who described the situation as "a classic of the genre for union chiefs – 'do as I say, not as I do.'"
The revelations come as over 1.2 million working days have been lost to strikes in the UK since the Labour party came to power in 2024, with further industrial action threatened.
Union Pay Packages Detailed
Among union leaders with six-figure earnings were the heads of unions involved in recent or threatened strike actions. Daniel Kebede, the chief of the National Education Union, received a salary of £136,902 with additional perks. The head of the British Medical Association (BMA), Tom Dolphin, was entitled to a salary of £103,612, though a BMA spokesperson noted he only drew the salary he would otherwise receive as a consultant anaesthetist.
Eddie Dempsey, leader of the RMT union, had a package totaling £127,339, consisting of a £96,838 salary and £30,501 in benefits. Both the RMT and the BMA have threatened further strikes.
Other notable six-figure packages included the leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, who received £182,422 in salary and £39,120 in benefits, and the head of the Royal College of Midwives, with a salary of £149,413 and £38,997 in benefits. Gary Smith of the GMB union reported total earnings of £152,000, and Paul Nowak of the Trades Union Congress received £138,993.
Spokespersons for the ITF and RMT unions stated that their respective leaders' compensation packages were democratically agreed upon by their members. Several unions, including Britain's second-largest, Unite, did not submit returns to the Certification Officer, suggesting the true number of high earners may be higher than reported.