Eddie Dempsey
Senior Assistant General Secretary of the RMT
Assumed office
April 2022
Assistant General Secretary of the RMT
In office
October 2021 – April 2022
Succeeded byJohn Leach
Personal details
Born1982 (age 41–42)
New Cross, London, England
OccupationTrade unionist

Eddie Dempsey (born c. 1982) is the assistant general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), a trade union in the UK. He was elected in October 2021 to serve a five-year term until October 2026.[1]

Dempsey supported general secretary Mick Lynch on media duties during the 2022 United Kingdom railway strikes,[2][3][4][5][6] writing about the RMT's strike action in an article for the Morning Star,[7] and speaking at a Manchester rally for the 'Enough is Enough' campaign, supporting calls for a national day of action in October 2022,[8][9] and in Liverpool.[10][11]

Dempsey was born and raised in South London's New Cross area to Irish parents, an upbringing that led him to become secretary of the Connolly Association, an Irish emigrant workers organisation.[12] He has cited James Connolly and Padraig Pearse amongst his inspirations.[13][14]

Dempsey identifies with socialism,[15] and in 2019 spoke at events arguing the socialist case for the UK leaving the European Union,[16] subsequently defending himself from criticism from journalist and left-wing activist Owen Jones,[17][12] after Jones and fellow journalist Ash Sarkar withdrew from a London event because of Dempsey's support for a no-deal Brexit.[18][19] Dempsey has participated in several marches against fascism and racism.[20]

Personal life

Dempsey supports Millwall and Celtic football clubs.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Senior Assistant General Secretary". RMT. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  2. ^ Jarvis, Chris (11 August 2022). "RMT's Eddie Dempsey once again nails how Britain is kept running by the working class". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  3. ^ "'Attitudes are changing in this country': On the picket line with Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey". The Big Issue. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  4. ^ Wayne, Mike (31 July 2022). "The Mick and Eddie Show is the new hit from the trade union movement". Counterfire. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  5. ^ Manji, Fatima (13 July 2022). "RMT Union: 'Everyone deserves a pay rise' as more strikes planned". Channel 4 News. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  6. ^ Leach, Francis (18 July 2022). "While big business have their disco, unions raise the alarm on wages". Australian Unions. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Eddie Dempsey". Morning Star. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  8. ^ Kimber, Charlie; Ringrose, Isabel (30 August 2022). "Huge Enough is Enough rally in Manchester shows mood to fight". Socialist Worker. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  9. ^ Lazenby, Peter (31 August 2022). "Manchester Cathedral packed to overflowing as Enough is Enough rally demands pay, price controls and a working-class fightback". Morning Star. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  10. ^ supporters, Socialist Appeal. "Enough is Enough: Left leaders rally workers and youth with class demands". Socialist Appeal. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Enough is Enough's Liverpool rally sounds the call for resistance". Socialist Worker. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Brexit, the white working class and liberal left". Workers Liberty. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  13. ^ a b Lynch, Mick; Dempsey, Eddie (11 August 2022). "Down the pub with Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey" (Interview). PoliticsJOE. Retrieved 31 August 2022 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Cochrane, Feargal (30 July 2022). "Why century-dead trade unionist James Connolly is the political voice of the summer". The Big Issue. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  15. ^ "RMT union's Eddie Dempsey speaks at a rail workers rally in London". Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  16. ^ Hoare, George; Ramsay, Peter; Jones, Lee (4 April 2019). "Transforming Britain After Brexit: Eddie Dempsey and the Divided Left". The Full Brexit. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  17. ^ Dempsey, Eddie (17 September 2019). "A Reply To Owen Jones — Keep It Comradely". Labour Heartlands. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  18. ^ "RMT union member "no platformed" for supporting Brexit". Communist Party of Great Britain Marxist Leninist. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Why they hate Eddie Dempsey". Spiked. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  20. ^ SKWAWKBOX (5 September 2022). "The Establishment doesn't want you to see this 2014 video of RMT's Eddie Dempsey". SKWAWKBOX. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
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