Eddie Dempsey

Edward Hugh Dempsey (born April 1982 ) is the general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), a trade union in the UK. He was previously elected as the assistant general secretary of the union in October 2021 to serve a five-year term until October 2026.

Dempsey supported general secretary Mick Lynch on media duties during the 2022 United Kingdom railway strikes, writing about the RMT's strike action in an article for the Morning Star, and speaking at a Manchester rally for the "Enough is Enough" campaign, supporting calls for a national day of action in October 2022, and in Liverpool.

Dempsey was born and raised in South London's New Cross area to Irish parents, an upbringing that led him to become secretary of the Connolly Association, an Irish emigrant workers organisation. He has cited James Connolly and Padraig Pearse among his inspirations.

Dempsey identifies with socialism, and in 2019 spoke at events arguing the socialist case for the UK leaving the European Union, subsequently defending himself from criticism from journalist and left-wing activist Owen Jones, Dempsey has participated in several marches against fascism and racism.

In 2022, it was revealed that Dempsey had visited the Donbass region of Ukraine in 2015, where he was photographed meeting the Russian separatist paramilitary leader Aleksey Mozgovoy. Following Mozgovoy's assassination, Dempsey wrote an obituary paying tribute to him. Following the revelations, Labour MP Chris Bryant demanded an apology from Dempsey for his previous actions and statements. Under Dempsey's leadership, the RMT has demanded an end to British military aid to Ukraine, describing the UK as playing "a belligerent role in international relations by supplying British-made weapons, military support, credit and billions of pounds in public funding" in Ukraine's defence.

Personal life Dempsey supports Millwall FC and Celtic.