Union barons branded 'champagne socialists' as it emerges more than a third are on six-figure pay packages - including bosses threatening more shutdowns of hospitals, schools and the rail network

Published: 09:04, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 09:05, 13 July 2026 Union barons were branded ‘champagne socialists’ last night as it emerged more than a third are on six-figure pay packages. Figures show 45 of Britain's 131 barons are sitting pretty on six-figure earnings - with one in six raking in packages worth as much as the Prime Minister’s salary or more. One banked pay and perks worth £725,000 last year, according to a report. It comes after thousands of union members were urged to forgo their own salaries by striking, with more shutdowns to schools, hospitals and the railways being threatened by hard-Left barons. More than 1.2million working days have been lost to strikes since Labour won the 2024 election. Health, education and rail union bosses who are threatening more strikes were among those recorded as having six-figure packages. Tory MP Greg Smith said: ‘There has to become a tipping point where trade union members look up and see what is really going on - union bosses on massive salaries, funded via membership fees, while constantly telling the actual workers to go out and strike and forfeit their own wages. ‘It’s a classic of the genre for union chiefs - “do as I say, not as I do”. Tory MP Joe Robertson, who sits on the Commons health committee, added: ‘Labour promised to end strikes when they came to power but by caving in to their union mates within weeks they have only encouraged more.' Among notable union barons on six-figure pay packages was Paul Nowak, boss of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), who had a total package worth £138,993, according to the CO report  Boss of the RMT rail union, Eddie Dempsey, was among bosses on six-figure pay packages, with a base salary of £96,838 and benefits worth £30,501, according to the CO report  Boss of the hardline NEU education union, Daniel Kebede, was among union chiefs on six-figure pay packages, with a salary of £136,902 and perks worth £11,598, according to the CO report  William Yarwood, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Union bosses love to preach solidarity while pocketing pay packages most workers could only dream of. ‘It takes some brass neck for six-figure union barons to threaten strikes that disrupt patients, pupils and commuters, while ordinary taxpayers and members foot the bill for the strikes. ‘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.’ Details of union bosses' pay and perks were published by regulator the Certification Officer (CO) in its annual report last week. Analysis of the figures for the 2025/26 financial year shows 45 bosses of 117 unions which filed annual returns - financial and membership reports they are required to submit - received salaries and ‘benefits’ worth six figures or more. Several unions, including Unite, which is Britain’s second-largest union, failed to submit returns, meaning the figure is likely higher than 45. Nearly 20 barons got packages worth as much or more than the PM’s salary of £166, 000 last year. Three new unions were added to the official register last year, according to the CO report, bringing the total number in England, Wales and Scotland to 131. Among those recorded as having six-figure salaries was the boss of the militant British Medical Association (BMA), which has unleashed chaos on NHS patients with 15 rounds of strikes by resident doctors over the last three years. It is threatening more walkouts in the coming months after senior doctors earning an average £152,000 became the latest to vote for industrial action. The union is demanding a multi-year pay deal worth an extra inflation-busting 33 per cent - or £50,000 - for the new strikes to be averted. The union last night confirmed Tom Dolphin, the BMA Chair of Council, was entitled to a salary of £103,612, although it said he may not end up being settled this much as he juggles the role with being a practising doctor. Among the notable union bosses on six figure pay packages was Gary Smith, boss of the GMB union (£121,000 salary and £31,000 benefits), according to the CO report  Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary of TSSA transport union, was among union leaders who got six-figure packages, according to the official CO report  Strikes among junior doctors, formerly known as resident doctors, crippled the NHS and affected thousands of patients between 2023 and last month, when walkouts were called off after a pay deal was struck with ministers  The firebrand bosses of the hardline RMT rail union and NEU education union - both of whom are threatening strikes this year - were also on six-figure packages. RMT boss Eddie Dempsey’s package was made up of a base salary of £96,838 and benefits worth £30,501 while NEU chief, Daniel Kebede, got a salary of £136,902 and perks worth £11,598, according to the CO report. It is understood this has since increased. Mr Kebede has said his union would ‘not accept’ the Government’s latest pay offer for teachers, which would see them paid 3.5 per cent more from this September and a further 3 per cent the following year, paving the way for strikes this winter. Mr Dempsey has also written to train bosses threatening strikes unless staff are handed inflation-busting pay hikes. The highest pay package was banked by the boss of the Professional Footballers’ Association, who got a salary of £649,000 and ‘benefits’ of £76,000. The union represents current and former professional footballers. This was followed by the boss of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Stephen Cotton, (£235,000 salary and £44,000 benefits). Among those enjoying packages worth more than Sir Keir Starmer’s salary, who got £166,786 last year, were the bosses of the National Association of Head Teachers (£182,422 salary and £39,120 benefits) and the Royal College of Midwives (£149,413 salary and £38,997 benefits). Other notable unions with bosses on six figure packages included Gary Smith, boss of the GMB union (£121,000 salary and £31,000 benefits), and Paul Nowak, boss of the Trades Union Congress, who had a total package worth £138,993 (£117,607 salary and £21,386 benefits). The packages come despite trade union membership numbers having fallen from around 7million a decade ago to about 6.5million last year. A BMA spokesman said: ‘As a working doctor he only draws the salary from BMA that he would otherwise be paid as a consultant anaesthetist in his normal job.’ Spokesmen for the ITF and RMT unions said their packages were ‘democratically agreed’ by members. An NEU spokesman said: ‘His gross salary is in line with the national pay scales to which NEU members are subject, and is equivalent to the salary of some headteachers working in London.’ A TUC spokesman said: ‘The general secretary is well paid. But let’s put things into perspective - at £5.2 million the average FTSE 100 CEO earns 44 times more a year.’