A transport union official openly mocked commuters hit by crippling London tube strikes last week – from the luxury of a swimming pool in Majorca.
While millions struggled to get around the capital as the network ground to a halt, Daniel Gibbons – who sits on the executive committee representing thousands of Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) members – was busy documenting his break in the sun on Facebook.
Gibbons, from Welling in Kent, member for the South East, took time out of his holiday at the £129 a night BlueSea Club Marthas, to slam one woman who complained about the impact of the strikes in London as ‘dense’.
He shared a BBC Politics Live clip of commentator Anita Boateng talking about the ‘frustrating’ impact of strikes and argued that tube drivers get a generous enough pay package as it is.
Gibbons shared the clip and wrote: ‘Listen to this person so eloquently talk absolute bollocks. It must be a special gift to be that dense. Solidarity to the LUL (London Underground Limited) and DLR (Docklands Light Railway) RMT members.’
Some friends even complained they were stuck on a bus in response to a photograph of him drinking a pint of Stella Artois at Heathrow Airport as he set off on holiday at the height of the five day strike on Wednesday.
The friend retorted: ‘We are stuck on a bus so you are definitely having more fun.’
He replied: ‘Solidarity to the LUL members.’
Daniel Gibbons, a transport union official, openly mocked commuters hit by crippling London tube strikes last week – while sunning in Majorca at a £129 a night resort
Citizens are seen waiting for a bus under the rain as the tube workers go on strike
He even apparently mocks those impacted by his union’s actions when told to ‘block out the haters’. He responds: ‘Loving the fact I have them.’
The comment is made on a photo of him in a swimming pool relaxing on his back with sunglasses on with the photo caption ‘floating’.
One Welling resident impacted by the strikes said: ‘This person is just laughing in the faces of all those hardworking people who have been badly impacted by the selfishness of the RMT.
‘It is a terrible look for the RMT and will only turn people against them even more. It is childish behaviour to mock those while you’re on holiday. It shows a real lack of commitment to the RMT cause as well to escape on a sunshine break.’
The union has rejected a 3.4 per cent pay offer and is campaigning for a cut in its members’ 35-hour week, which Transport for London (TfL) said was unaffordable. Talks are due to resume this Wednesday
An RMT spokesman said: ‘Daniel Gibbons is seconded to our full time executive through our democratic processes.
‘He has holiday entitlements like any other worker and this bears no relation to our industrial relations dispute on TfL.
‘He is not a spokesperson for the union and we do not condone abuse of any kind.’
