THE Daily Mail, whose reporters endure zero union recognition, took a swipe at Mick Lynch's pay and benefits today.

The legendary union leader, who led the largest wave of industrial action on the railways since the 1980s, announced on Thursday that he will retire from his position as general secretary at RMT.

He spent three years in the role, gaining mass support in charismatically outwitting bigoted press who sought to label him a “rail baron” for fighting for better conditions for working people.

Today the right-wing Daily Mail, which affectionately refers to him as “the grinch,” blasted the union leader, who became an RMT member after he joined Eurostar in 1993, for taking home £96,838 in gross salary last year.

It also claimed that he earned £30,501 in employer pension contributions.

A graph published on the outlet’s website reported that he had earned £938,194 in salary and benefits since taking the role of assistant general secretary in 2015. 

But the RMT union hit back today, saying that the figures quoted were “misleading” as pension contributions go into a pot benefiting all RMT staff in the scheme when they retire.

“They are not a separate sum that Mr Lynch receives,” a spokesperson said. 

They also confirmed that Mr Lynch’s salary is decided by RMT members, and that he took a voluntary pay cut during his time as general secretary.

RMT members have consistently secured better pay and conditions under Mr Lynch’s leadership.

Among them were large-scale deals for 40,000 Network Rail workers and outsourced caterers who saw their wages rise by a fifth.

Meanwhile staff at the Daily Mail, who currently have no independent union recognition, toil away spewing hate about the very rights they could benefit from.

A union source said: “It’s ironic that a newspaper owned by billionaire 4th Viscount Rothermere Jonathan Harmsworth, where journalists poor pension arrangements, would obsess over Mick’s pay and pension which is all transparently determined by the union’s democratic processes.

“This is a clear attempt to divert attention from real issues such as workers fighting for fair pay, job security and safe conditions in a turbulent economy. 

“Workers in every industry including those at the Daily Mail deserve decent pay, union recognition and good pensions, regardless of the rubbish they print.”