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Kate Plummer
Oct 08, 2022
Mick Lynch accuses GBN presenter of 'peddling clichés’ about his ‘six figures …
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Mick Lynch is out and about again defending the RMT's latest strike action, so lock up your broadcasters.
More than 40,000 union members are striking today as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, conditions and jobs. It is the third day of strike action this month.
Lynch, RMT's general secretary, who is known for his straight talking spoke to GB News about the action, and let's just say he didn't disappoint.
Presenter Stephen Dixon read out a question from a viewer, accusing Lynch of calling the strikes for "political reasons" and having a "six figure salary".
Lynch replied: "You're just peddling cliches there. I don't have a six figure salary so that's nonsense".
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"This is not a political strike," he continued and said people striking "are ordinary men and women that want a decent day's pay for a decent days work".
He added: "You're just peddling nonsense and I'm sick and tired of hearing it from politicians who come out with this rubbish and journalists who just recycle it."
"What we want is a pay deal, we want a set of conditions we can work with, and we want job security. That's nothing to do with politics."
And when Dixon tried to intervene, saying it wasn't his question but one from a viewer, Lynch replied:
"Yeah but it's rubbish. It's a nonsense idea. What political programme are we peddling these people behind me? What is the political angle in this dispute that you're alluding to?"
After some more back and forth, Dixon suggested the RMT's political angle might be "to bring down the Tory government".
"Well, when have we ever said that?" Lych said.
"We are here to settle an industrial dispute, which is about pay conditions and jobs as well as our pensions.
"It's up to the Tory party who they put in government. They have deposed at least two prime ministers without an election in the last five years. It's nothing to do with what railway workers are doing.
"We want the settlement of this dispute. And the idea that somehow 40,000 railway workers who are threatened with their jobs are going to bring down the government is nonsense, it's just peddling a myth."
People thought he had nailed it once again:
\u201c@SaulStaniforth @RMTunion Outstanding, well done Mick Lynch - this is inspirational \ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\u201d— Saul Staniforth (@Saul Staniforth) 1665210541
\u201cLove it !! @RMTunion Mick Lynch proper putting media in their place! \u270a\ud83c\udffb\n#SupportRailWorkers\u201d— Taff not Toff (@Taff not Toff) 1665211393
\u201cHow to speak truth to spin & smears.\nSuperb once again @RMTunion Mick Lynch\u270a\n#SupportRailWorkers\u201d— lan Byrne MP (@lan Byrne MP) 1665212036
\u201cI don\u2019t know who this is interviewing Mick Lynch, but he can collect his dignity from the lost property office at Paddington.\u201d— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael Swindon) 1665216145
\u201c@RMTunion @powndland Go on Mick \ud83d\udc4f\u201d— RMT (@RMT) 1665211006
\u201cI sense it could be a hard day for the media if they keep asking the same tired old questions.\nMick Lynch on top form today!\n#SupportRailWorkers\u201d— RMT (@RMT) 1665211006
\u201cMick Lynch from the @RMTunion calls out the nonsense being peddled by the interviewer and the media more generally. Well said, Mick!\u201d— Saul Staniforth (@Saul Staniforth) 1665210541
Lynch never misses.
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