Watch: Eddie Dempsey quotes Bob Crow as he urges the nation to stand up for themselves

As we head into one of the most worrying times in recent history due to the rising energy costs, spiralling inflation and a likely recession, the unions have become the mouthpieces again to stand up for the nation.

With that in mind, Eddie Dempsey channelled union goliath Bob Crow in a speech to huge crowds last night.

Crow was an English trade union leader who served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) from 2002 until his death in 2014. He was also a member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress.

After he became leader, the RMT’s membership increased from around 57,000 in 2002 to more than 80,000 in 2008, making it one of Britain’s fastest-growing trade unions

Dempsey

Dempsey’s comments were made as tens of thousands of people have turned out for a rally in Manchester over the soaring cost of living.

He also spoke to JOE and told the website that the people “deserve to be treated better”.

He went on: “We need to stand up and be treated better than we are now.”

“We deserve to be treated better”@RMTunion Eddie Dempsey summing up the mood of a nation pic.twitter.com/aMuRPBVjUo

— RMT (@RMTunion) August 30, 2022

Dempsey also slammed politicians saying: “It’s about time [politicians] did a day’s work for the people that actually elected them.”

“It’s a dereliction of duty.

“It’s about time [politicians] did a day’s work for the people that actually elected them.”@RMTunion's Eddie Dempsey on the Prime Minister’s summer holiday@eiecampaign pic.twitter.com/yDcSoJaruG

— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) August 30, 2022

Rail strike

It comes as rail workers are to stage a fresh 24-hour strike next month in an escalation of the national dispute over pay, job security and conditions.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) at nine train operating companies as well as Network Rail (NR) will walk out from midday on Monday September 26.

The union remains in talks with NR about the possibility of a settlement but is urging Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to intervene in a bid to break the deadlock.

The strike action will coincide with the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

Watch

But it was a quote by the late Bob Crow that really got the crowd going.

He said: “If you fight you might lose, but if you don’t fight you’ll always lose.”

“If you fight you might lose, but if you don’t fight you’ll always lose”@RMTunion Eddie Dempsey quoting the late, great Bob Crowpic.twitter.com/8SUfUWI0CD

— RMT (@RMTunion) August 30, 2022

There is also this video:

“We’re not going to let them take the piss anymore. We’re going to make sure our old people are warm in winter. We’re going to make sure our kids are fed.”

Eddie Dempsey of @RMTunion addresses the massive overspill outside our Manchester rally.#EnoughlsEnough pic.twitter.com/vhna3w9SZB

— Ronan Burtenshaw (@ronanburtenshaw) August 30, 2022

Reactions

Of course, there are many people out there who hate unions and union leaders, but these people were stirred by his words last night:

1.

So true… https://t.co/FJlYc1C8xx

— Aaron Clayton (@weebor) August 30, 2022

2.

https://twitter.com/Joinedforthis99/status/1564715430400376832

3.

He was brilliant a brilliant boss,
how come there’s nobody to take his place.
He knew how to take on Tories & win ✊

— Kitty Cybernat (@CathyMcRorie) August 30, 2022

4.

‘We have the power’, come on everyone #GeneralStrikeNow ✊

— Alison Hudson (@AlisonH15864665) August 30, 2022

5.

This is our country @danwootton @JuliaHB1 @GBNEWS and WE people are taking it back! https://t.co/2TySA8IlfN

— Jamie Reid (@iconicfield) August 31, 2022

6.

Give this man a round of applause 👏🏼 ❤️ #EddieDempsey for #PM @RMTunion https://t.co/oHNAf0A0OR

— Stacey Mainwaring (@StaceyMainwar) August 31, 2022

Related: Huge crowds gather for Enough is Enough rally as half a million sign up to campaign