As unions demand a mass movement against the spending cuts at the TUC conference this week, Caroline Dinenage MP has condemned the huge pay packets of union leaders.
The Trade Union Rich List, announced today by the Taxpayers’ Alliance, reveals that salaries of well over £100,000 are being paid to union fat cats. Former joint General Secretary of Unite Derek Simpson alone received over £500,000, including severance pay of £310,000.
Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, said:
“It is shocking to see that union barons plotting disruptive strikes are enjoying six-figure pay and benefit packages. There is more than enough pressure on families already without the inconvenience of major strikes.”
“The fat cat salaries enjoyed by the union leaders come at the expense of the taxpayer. At a time when families are tightening their belts, more should be done to address the indirect subsidy of union spending.”
The key findings of the report into union salaries revealed:
- 38 trade union general secretaries and chief executives received remuneration of more than £100,000 in 2010-11 (37 in 2009-10)
- The total pay of the general secretaries and chief executives earning over £100,000 was nearly £5.2 million in 2010-11