For some Londoners, Eddie Dempsey is about to become public enemy number one. The RMT boss has threatened to execute one of the worst Tube strikes in years, with a rolling walkout set to cause a four-day Tube shutdown from September 8 to 11. The planned disruption is so impactful that it has caused Coldplay to reschedule two of their Wembley dates. The band have released a statement saying that the strikes would make it “impossible” for the concerts to go ahead.
But to many, Eddie Dempsey is a hero — and not just because he’s postponing Coldplay concerts. The bolshy, baby-faced 43-year-old successor of Mick Lynch was already well known before he took over the role of RMT general secretary this March, having supported Lynch on his much-lauded 2022 and 2023 media rounds. During this period, he was working as assistant general secretary, Lynch’s second in command.
