Bob Crow, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, dies aged 52 from a suspected heart attack. Mayors of London past and present pay tribute to a “fighter” and “man of character”.
Mr Crow’s older brother, Richard Crow, said he believed the union leader had suffered a heart attack in the early hours of today.
Richard, whose father was also a trade union leader, told Sky News: “It was about 7am that I got the call (from my sister). I presume some time in the night he had some problems. We’re really trying to find out exactly what happened.
“We grew up together in Chigwell in Essex and he was a very likeable chap – no matter what people said about his politics. He was honest, he looked after the people he was supposed to look after, and he was a great man as far as honesty and beliefs went.
“He was a person who believed in justice.”
A brief statement from the RMT said: “It is with the deepest regret that RMT has to confirm that our general secretary Bob Crow sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning.
“RMT would request that all media respect the privacy of the friends and family of Bob Crow at this distressing time.”
He fought really hard for his members. The only working-class people who still have well-paid jobs in London are his members. Ken Livingstone
The union leader has been a thorn in the side of the government for years, and one of the most vocal union leaders.
Mayors of London past and present paid tribute to the RMT chief, with Ken Livingstone saying Crow’s members were the “only working-class people who still have well-paid jobs in London”, and Boris Johnson saying Crow was a “fighter and a man of character”.
Most recently he was involved in fiery exchanges with Mr Johnson, Conservative Mayor of London, over tube strikes carried out because of proposed redundancies (see video, below).
The 52-year-old was born in London, and began working for London Transport as a teenager. In the 1980s he got involved in union politics, leading ultimately to his election as general secretary of the RMT in 2002.
Boris Johnson said it was a “sad day”, adding: “I’m shocked. Bob Crow was a fighter and a man of character.
“Whatever our political differences, and there were many, this is tragic news. Bob fought tirelessly for his beliefs and for his members.
“There can be absolutely no doubt that he played a big part in the success of the tube, and he shared my goal to make transport in London an even greater success. It’s a sad day.”
Sad news about Bob Crow. We may have differed politically but he was a man of character who fought tirelessly for his members.
— Boris Johnson (@MayorofLondon) March 11, 2014
Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone was one of the first to comment on the demise of the union leader.
“I assumed he would be at my funeral not me at his,” he told Sky News.
“He fought really hard for his members. The only working-class people who still have well-paid jobs in London are his members.”
He said Mr Crow was “broadly right on most key issues” and that if more people had fought for the conditions of the working classes “this country would be a much better place.”
“With the passage of time people will come to see that people like Bob Crow did a very good job,” he said.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage wrote on Twitter that he had “always liked” Crow.
Sad at the death of Bob Crow. I liked him and he also realised working class people were having their chances damaged by the EU.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 11, 2014
A host of union figures have paid tribute to Mr Crow, variously called “outstanding”, “strong” and someone who was “admired by members and feared by employers”.
TUC General SecretaryFrances O’Grady said: “This is shocking news. Bob was an outstanding trade unionist, who tirelessly fought for his members, his industry and the wider trade union movement.
I’m shocked. Bob Crow was a fighter and a man of character. Boris Johnson
“He was always a good friend and comrade to me. We will miss him, and our thoughts are with his family and the RMT at this difficult time.”
Matt Wrack, leader of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “Bob’s passing is very sad news and the thoughts of firefighters will be with his family.
“Bob was a good friend to me personally and to the Fire Brigades Union as a whole.
“He was a strong leader for the labour movement and he’ll be sorely missed by those who knew him.”
Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, who stood on picket lines with Mr Crow during last month’s tube strike, said: “Bob Crow was admired by his members and feared by employers, which is exactly how he liked it.
“It was a privilege to campaign and fight alongside him because he never gave an inch.”
Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: “Even people who didn’t like what he did agreed he did it very well. Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and the RMT.
“Bob’s strength, personal integrity and straight forward speaking won many battles for his members. He took his job very seriously and never stopped working. A giant of the labour movement. He is irreplaceable.”
Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “This is a sad day not just for the RMT and the rail industry but for the trade union and labour movement.
“It’s a tragedy that he was taken from us at such a young age. Bob always did his best for his members, and the industry in which he worked. Our thoughts, at this sad time, are with his family and all his colleagues in the trade union movement.”