Michael Joseph Cash (born 17 February 1960) is a British trade unionist, and the former general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).

Early life

Cash was born in Laindon Hills, Basildon, Essex,[1] the third child of seven of Irish Travellers from County Kildare.[2]

Career

Early career

He became a rail worker for British Rail in 1978, looking after railway signals at Watford Junction signal box West Coast Main Line. He was eventually elected assistant general secretary of the RMT, and was subsequently elected general secretary in September 2014, following the death of Bob Crow, defeating four other candidates. Cash retired as general secretary of the RMT in June 2021.[3]

Political positions

He was a member of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) until the RMT disassociated itself from the party in 2004, and remains a Labour Party member as he has been since 1982.[4] In that regard, he was widely considered as less radical than his predecessor, Bob Crow.[5]

He served as a Labour councillor on Watford Borough Council for 8 years,[4][6] serving as the Deputy Leader of Watford Labour Group.[7]

He has been a vocal Brexiter urging the rail workers to vote against the European Union.[8] He then voiced concerns over other trade unions that were considering asking for a second referendum.[9]

Coronavirus pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cash criticised the Government in its handling of relaxing the lockdown, with him calling on public transport workers to "refuse to work" if they feel unsafe.[10] He also criticised the decision of the Department for Transport to force Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to place two special representatives on the board of Transport for London, stating "London transport workers have been vital to fighting COVID-19 and any attacks on their pay, jobs and conditions arising from this imposed settlement will be a complete betrayal."[11]

Personal life

Cash is a keen football supporter, and follows Watford F.C.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Michael J. Cash". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  2. ^ Topham, Gwyn (30 September 2014). "RMT union's new 'moderate' leader Mick Cash says 'pick your fights'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. ^ Topham, Gwyn (22 September 2014). "RMT union elects Bob Crow's former deputy Mick Cash as leader". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b McSmith, Andy (5 October 2014). "Disillusioned with Labour, RMT chief plots new party". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  5. ^ Topham, Gwyn (13 August 2016). "Has the RMT union's moderate Mick Cash turned militant?". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  6. ^ "'Facts must be faced' after Potters Bar crash". News Shopper. 20 May 2002. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Rail Union Urges Members To Vote For Brexit". Sky News. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  8. ^ Gall, Gregor (2017). Bob Crow: Socialist, Leader, Fighter: a Political Biography. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-1-5261-0028-3. OCLC 982012444.
  9. ^ "RMT's Mick Cash to warn TUC that a second vote on Brexit let's the Tories off the hook". RMT London Calling. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  10. ^ Cruse, Ellena (13 May 2020). "Trains will be stopped if they become overcrowded, union boss warns". Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  11. ^ "RMT threatens strike over government's 'austerity' TfL deal". Rail News. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  12. ^ Farr, Simon (29 September 2014). "Watford man Mick Cash elected as new leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union". Watford Observer. Retrieved 10 September 2019.

External links

Trade union offices Preceded byVernon Hince Senior Assistant General Secretary of the RMT 2002–2014 Succeeded bySteve Hedley Preceded byBob Crow General Secretary of the RMT 2014–2020 Succeeded byMick Lynch


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