Crowd packs into Wigan pub to hear rousing speech from trade union leader Mick Lynch

The general secretary of the RMT spoke at Wigan Central pub on Wednesday at a meeting hosted by Wigan RMT and supported by Wigan Trades Council.

Mr Lynch has become a well-known face due to a series of appearances on national television as he leads railway workers in an industrial dispute.

He talked about the ongoing industrial action in a range of industries, including rail workers in his own union, ambulance service staff who were on the picket line as he spoke and nurses planning to strike later this month.

Mr Lynch shared his own links to people in these jobs, describing himself as the “proud” son of a postal worker and cleaner, and the brother and husband of nurses.

He said: “This is the fight of our generation and it is the fight of our lives and it is the fight of our class and it is up to our class to deliver change, to deliver a change in the way we think, a change in the way we act and a change in what we achieve.”

He also referred to George Orwell’s famous book The Road To Wigan Pier as he stood in front of a banner featuring scenes from the borough.

There was loud applause from the crowd, which filled the pub to hear Mr Lynch speak.

He was joined by speakers from the CWU and Unison Health, whose members are currently involved in strike action.