A SENIOR official of powerful transport union RMT announced his intention today to stand in the election of its new general secretary.

Mick Lynch is currently assistant general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maitime and Transport Workers.

He is bidding to replace Mick Cash, who announced his retirement earlier this week, blaming a “campaign of harassment” against him by “factional groups within the union.”

Mr Lynch, who has been in RMT for 30 years, was blacklisted out of the construction industry earlier in his career for his trade-union activities.

In a message to RMT members he said: “Our members and our communities face tremendous challenges in the period ahead, the greatest of which, apart from the health crisis itself, is preserving their jobs, pay, conditions and their health and safety in the workplace.

“We also have to guard against attacks by government and others in the transport services and energy sectors on which our members’ jobs depend.

“The success of our union depends on maximum unity and focus across our organisation making sure that we concentrate on those challenges rather than turning in on ourselves.”

Steve Hedley, also assistant general secretary of the union, announced his candidacy earlier this week.