Union firebrand Mick Lynch gave a rousing speech in London last night, telling supporters that the “working class is back”.
The general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union told the crowd to “fight back against austerity”.
He called on them to “act in our class interests” at an Enough Is Enough rally - a campaign to fight the cost of living crisis - at the Clapham Grand.
Lynch’s call for action comes as a general strike among unions looks increasingly possible.
Lynch declared that “the working class is back” and “we refuse to be poor anymore”.
He added: “Get them on their feet, get them out on the streets and our message must be this: The working class is back!”
Lynch said they must also refuse to be humble or wait for politicians, adding: “If we fight together we are an unstoppable force in this society!”
On Thursday morning Lynch warned that Britain could be brought to a standstill by a wave of strikes hitting “every sector of the economy”.
He stopped short of predicting a general strike, saying: “It’s not in my power, it’s up to the TUC.”
But he added: “What you are going to get is a wave of solidarity action, generalised strike action, synchronised action.
“And you’ll see it in every sector of the economy, in education, in health, wider parts of the transport system, in all sectors, the private sector as well.
“People are fed up with the way they’ve been treated. The British worker is basically underpaid and gets no dignity or respect in the workplace.”
Millions of public sector workers are expected to vote on strike action over pay this autumn in what could be the biggest wave of industrial action since the 1970s.
It could lead to shortages in hospitals, fire stations, schools and on the transport network, if negotiations cannot be resolved.
Unions argue that pay offers are not keeping pace with the soaring cost of living, but the government says it must tackle rising inflation and says hiking up pay now could result in prices increasing even more.