The top 30 union chiefs who earn over £150k
THE top 30 public sector union barons earned more than £150,000 on average last year, research has found.
The highest-paid trade union boss was Tim Roache, former general secretary of the GMB, who took home £288,000 in total remuneration, the TaxPayers’ Alliance found.
He ended his employment at the union in July last year, but will receive an £80,000 payment for long standing service, a £500,000 lump sum, a car of his choice and a £60,000 annual pension.
The boss of the National Association of Head Teachers, Paul Whiteman, was the second highest paid, taking home £216,387. In total, eight education union bosses shared £1,252,709 between them. By comparison, Prime Minister Boris Johnson earns around £160,000.
Meanwhile, Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, received £167,229 in total remuneration. Her gross salary alone (£112,395) was 22 times the average amount for someone on Universal Credit. The salary details were revealed as the TUC’s annual conference gets under way.
Miss O’Grady has criticised plans to end the temporary uplift to universal credit and warned of a ‘class chasm’ between low and high earners.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance found the average total remuneration of the 30 union bosses on more than £100,000 was £150,755 in 2020.
Total remuneration includes gross salary, employers’ national insurance contribution, pension contributions and other benefits. The public sector trade union with the most senior staff on total remuneration more than £100,000 was the Fire Brigades Union with four. The British Medical Association, the National Education Union, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, and the Prison Officers’ Association all had two each.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman and general secretary of the British Medical Association, received £203,633 in total remuneration, up 5 per cent. His salary alone (£180,000) was over six times what a foundation doctor working in the NHS earns.
John O’Connell, the chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘These red barons relentlessly preach policies around wealth inequality and demand evermore tax-andspend, but are sitting comfortably as some of Britain’s biggest earners.’