Fatcat rail union bosses sun themselves in Turkey as rail strikes hit thousands of passengers
Hundreds of services were cancelled when Southern Rail's union members went on a five day strike
SHAMELESS fatcat rail union bosses were sunning themselves abroad this week — while their members inflicted misery on thousands of passengers.
Brazen RMT chiefs Sean Hoyle and Steve Hedley posted a picture of themselves on Facebook looking tanned and relaxed in Turkey.
It came as union members at Southern Rail went on a planned five-day strike which saw hundreds of services cancelled.
Hedley, 47, is the unions senior assistant general secretary and pockets £76,613 in pay and benefits.
Hoyle, 51, is RMT president and received perks worth £47,483 last year on top of his main pay packet.
The dad of two posted a picture of them in posh resort Didim on Facebook on Monday, captioned: “Look who I bumped into in Turkey.”
They were also pictured outside a Turkish petrol station with the caption: “Taking the demo to Turkey.”
Loyal followers commented below the post. Darren Procter wrote: “For the benefit of all the members, put your phone in the safe, switch off and enjoy the break.
“A well rested president with fully recharged batteries who has spent quality time with his family is what we require, what you require and what your family deserve.
“Doing a great job, enjoy Turkey and all it has to offer!”
But their extraordinary getaway sparked fury among MPs, whose voters have seen their own holidays and commutes disrupted by militant strike action.
Former Tory Cabinet minister Sir Eric Pickles, who led a crackdown on union militants, said the pair should have “shown a bit of solidarity” with the workers.
He added: “You can’t have one rule for rich union barons and another for the suffering commuters.”
Alan Mak, is the Tory MP for Havant in Hampshire, which is served by the Southern network.
He said: “It’s disgraceful that as my constituents can’t even get to work, trade union bosses are sunning themselves abroad whilst causing misery and disruption at home.”
Tory minister Caroline Dinenage said her constituents in nearby Gosport rely on Southern to get to Gatwick Airport.
She said: “Families whose own holidays have been affected by the RMT’s recent action will find these images galling.”
Neighbours yesterday confirmed Hoyle was on holiday with his wife and two children.
One said: “He goes away for about three weeks every year. They used to go a lot to Gran Canaria.”
And Hedley’s daughter also confirmed her dad was on holiday.
The RMT had called a five-day walkout on the Southern Railway network in a dispute over the role of guards on its trains.
But after three days of misery for commuters, the action planned for today and tomorrow was called off so fresh talks can be held.
However, Southern, which is owned by Govia Thameslink, has said today’s services will be based on the strike timetable.
The RMT is also pressing ahead with strike action with Eurostar this weekend and during the Bank Holiday weekend in a separate row over employees’ work-life balance.
And on Tuesday the union’s members also voted for strikes on the Virgin East Coast line.
The RMT and TSSA rail unions claim their members’ rights are being “repeatedly undermined”.
A spokesman for the RMT defended the decision of senior figures to go abroad this week.
He said last night: “The union has a full team of senior negotiators who have been deployed to deal with the current disputes. Our officials are entitled to take holidays.
“But it has not compromised our effectiveness as the progress on the Southern dispute today proved.”
The spokesman dismissed rumours that the RMT’s £137,344-a-year general secretary Mick Cash was also on holiday. The spokesman added: “He’s called the strike off hasn’t he? Isn’t that enough for you?”
But Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, attacked the strikes outright. He said: “Taxpayers will be staggered by the hypocrisy of union bosses.
“While playing at being class warriors, they lead strikes which disrupt the lives of millions of people while pocketing telephone-number salaries.
“These strikes aren’t just a minor inconvenience but materially affect people’s lives, their ability to get to work and to earn a living.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling had previously pledged to stay out of the conflict but yesterday decided to wade into the row.
Speaking after the Eurostar strike was announced, Mr Grayling said: “This feels like an excuse to be militant and it’s an extraordinary contrast. We’re announcing a massive programme of modernisation of the railways, improving the situation for passengers.
“At the same time we have the unions trying to turn the clock back and hang on to working practices that are decades out of date.
“Passengers should not be made to suffer like this.”