Union leaders have faced accusations of hypocrisy, with critics branding them 'champagne socialists' following the release of figures showing that over a third of top union officials earn six-figure salaries. The data, compiled from reports by the Certification Officer (CO), indicates that 45 out of 131 union leaders in Britain are receiving annual pay and benefits packages totaling six figures or more.
Some of these leaders represent unions that have threatened or carried out strikes affecting essential services such as hospitals, schools, and railways. Since the Labour party won the 2024 election, more than 1.2 million working days have been lost to strikes. Unions like the RMT (rail), NEU (education), and the British Medical Association (BMA) have been prominent in industrial action, with their leaders among those on high salaries.
Eddie Dempsey, the head of the RMT rail union, reportedly has a package worth over £127,000, including a base salary of £96,838 and benefits of £30,501. Daniel Kebede, leader of the NEU education union, receives a salary of £136,902 with £11,598 in perks. The BMA's Council Chair, Tom Dolphin, is entitled to a salary of £103,612. Paul Nowak, head of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has a total package valued at £138,993, comprising a £117,607 salary and £21,386 in benefits. Gary Smith, boss of the GMB union, reportedly earns £121,000 plus £31,000 in benefits.
These figures have drawn sharp criticism from political opponents. Conservative MP Greg Smith commented that union members should recognize the disparity between union leadership's earnings and the sacrifices asked of striking workers. "It's a classic of the genre for union chiefs - 'do as I say, not as I do'," he stated. Another Conservative MP, Joe Robertson, suggested that the Labour government's early concessions to unions have emboldened further industrial action.
William Yarwood of the TaxPayers' Alliance criticized union leaders for advocating solidarity while receiving compensation far exceeding that of most workers. He argued that it is "brass neck" for those earning six-figure sums to threaten disruptions to public services funded by ordinary taxpayers and union members.
The CO's annual report for the 2025/26 financial year detailed these pay packages. The analysis covered 117 unions that filed returns, with the actual number of high-earning officials potentially being higher as some unions, including Unite, did not submit their reports. Nearly 20 union leaders received packages equal to or exceeding the Prime Minister's salary of £166,000.
Some of the highest packages were reported outside of the core public service unions. The head of the Professional Footballers' Association received a package worth £725,000, and the head of the International Transport Workers' Federation, Stephen Cotton, earned £235,000 in salary with £44,000 in benefits.
Union membership has seen a decline, falling from approximately 7 million a decade ago to about 6.5 million last year, according to the report. Union spokespeople have defended the salaries, stating they are democratically agreed upon by members and are often modest in comparison to FTSE 100 CEOs, who earn significantly more. Some also noted that officials with high salaries, like the BMA's Tom Dolphin, may only draw a portion of it while also working in their primary profession.