sharon graham, general secretary of unite, i will come to you for specific campaigning advice, thank thing effort, it is not just that they are more strikes, that there is more confidence among trade union leaders, there is a belief, too, that they can secure a better deal for their members and this is the thing that really matters, start to say to society more generally there are new choices you need to confront, new political choices you need to make. if they are right, that will really be significant for our political thinking. thanks for watching. hello. a real contrast in weather types. north—west to south—east across the uk at the moment. it's reasonably mild and cloudy across northern and western areas, but a sharp frost to start sunday morning in the south and the east, temperatures down to minus six or minus seven degrees. some fairly dense lingering fog patches for central, southern and eastern parts of england for a time. we've got some rain moving in across the west of scotland and around some of these irish sea coasts, a few splashes of rain. it is fairly cloudy here in t

my guest this week is the leader of britain's second largest trade union, sharon graham, who replaced rather better—known mark. —— len mccluskey. we are at a time where there are strikes in the health service, strikes on the railway, strengths and schools, strikes in the civil service. for years, there's been talks of a new winter of discontent. we must be honest, it has been largely that. talk. these trade unions to have a mandate for members and have the backing of large sections of the public. to have a fight over the standard of their members�* living. welcome to political thinking. because you've been around a long time, you've got perspective on this, does it feel like the beginning of a new balance of power in the workplace, may be in society more generally or does feel like a one—off? i don't think a one—off moment and moving toward something i think part of that was because of the pandemic and peoples on the pandemic that it was every day people that were not fighting, many workers but mostly people who were paid less money in society, that they were sent out there and at a t

yet the woman sitting in that chair on this podcast programme last week, sharon graham, general secretarye businesses led by chief executives who are paying themselves more and more at a time, notjust during the short term inflation repeak, but over many years workers have seen cuts in their real wages. they don't really get it at all? should i think people should see cuts in wages? no, they should grow. wages will grow if we have high performing companies alongside a good minimum wage. i think we agree more than we disagree. this idea that, you know, there is definitely truth in saying one of the drivers of brexit was that the economy did not work for everyone. that is absolutely right. i take that very, very seriously. and therefore, now that we all are post brexiteers, i would like to suggest, we need to work out how the economy can work for everyone. i don't want economic policy to be driven about an old brexit debate about sovereignty and get rid of any rule that has a blue flag with golden stars from brussels. i want the economy that works for everyone, creates opportunity for every

sharon graham, welcome to political thinking.nson, the unite general secretary says care will be taken to protect patient safety. nobody wants lives to be lost and we are really careful, irrespective of the lies, i have to say that's been said by some ministers, to make sure that in the ambulance dispute, i was on the picket line in the west midlands, that we had proper minimum cover because that is something that's really important to us. so obviously we do it in a way that we try not to have any difficulties from that. but i have to say, lives are being lost now. there was a piece that came out yesterday. so they believe 500 excess lives have been lost a week because of waiting times. and so something has to be done. in a statement, the department of health said... the health and social care secretary is continuing to have constructive in the rail dispute, the train operating companies have made what they�*re calling a best and final offer to the biggest rail union to try to break the deadlock. the rmt says it�*s considering th

she's of in a sharon graham broadway. janine and martin mcdonna producers. elvis basil sherman, catherine martin, gale berman taxi mccormick, and sky otherwise produces everything everywhere, all at once or signer and jonathan on producers. the fables christy. because go kreger steven spielberg and so he crishna produces tar. todd field dinner. no time in scotland producers top gun maverick song whose principal mcquarry david innocent and joe brock, i'mma producers trying. 1 and sadness, eric hammond doors and when you go back, producers and women talking he, the gardener, germany, florida, influences the woman who uses this was such an honor and huge congratulations to all the nominees. you'll be watching the nominations for the 95th academy awards, which the sentiment is gonna be held on march the 12th at the dolby theater and los angeles. but we've had denominations, obviously for best picture, 10 of them on that list, which is unusual because it's usually between 5 and time. so as i say, that ceremony gotta be held to march 12th of adobe theater in the center. the still ahead on al ja

sharon graham, welcome to political thinking.rview for the bbc podcast political thinking with nick robinson, the unite general secretary says care will be taken to protect patient safety. nobody wants lives to be lost and we are really careful, irrespective of the lies, i have to say that's been said by some ministers, to make sure that in the ambulance dispute, i was on the picket line in the west midlands, that we had proper minimum cover because that is something that's really important to us. so obviously we do it in a way that we try not to have any difficulties from that. but i have to say, lives are being lost now. there was a piece that came out yesterday. so they believe 500 excess lives have been lost a week because of waiting times. and so something has to be done. in a statement, the department of health said... in the rail dispute, the train operating companies have made what they're calling a best and final offer to the biggest rail union to try to break the deadlock. the rmt says it's considering the offer. zoe co

the head of the unite union sharon graham says staff are fighting for the nhs. let's speak now to 0nay kasab, national lead officer at the unite union. thank you for your time. portable february the 6th look like from the perspective of nhs staff and all show —— and also patients, who use the nhs? show -- and also patients, who use the nhs? , , ., ., ~ the nhs? our members are taking action not because _ the nhs? our members are taking action not because they _ the nhs? our members are taking action not because they want - the nhs? our members are taking action not because they want to i the nhs? our members are taking | action not because they want to but because they had to. it is notjust about pay, this is why the connection with patients and the public comes in, our action is about saving the nhs, that is the reality. we are seeing a crisis taking place every single day in the nhs and our members have made very clear that pay is obviously the central reason for the ballot, but pay is intrinsically linked to recruitment and retention and until we can fill vac

when i'm last it with jeff or graham a few sharon with the m m l. i so much kind of a question mark taylor dot com with guess as i get a mom, i feel like i see much in that one echo california. okay. again that my luck with because you friday a lease with us is sooner. bandanna, got shipment, keep brown that piece with. so my lower dilemma is some, some intuition man, i can try to push it, i'm sorry, my system didn't. it was oval irish history, citrix. so actually, let's say for say pro, for dis they did this, it from the news media really with it. well, you see a lowest and reject. as you want twists, you may have a sink, a new one is jackie to seizures. killer any come up look, was a lizard cramped by lead the last so sir, lady lice, she's a grammar with no clue to 19. your son here, as seen as loop, i'll break in would jump, cuz he, i t z a did yet allow more. de. this'll was a joint on back to jones to for number jack, because you have a on via stuff. i mean enough for me to join in the filler. you some perspective with food i shall. i'm with ja

unite is saying the general secretary, sharon graham, said that this morning . british sunak really to get round the table as opposed to steve barclay, the health secretary. but yeah, as you say, it's the third day of industrial action, frankly, not the dimensions of this dispute shifted at all. the pay offer as well has been already 4% for this year. the government says it to talk about pay for next yeah it to talk about pay for next year. the unions say no. the 4% is not enough and we need to start talking about pay for this year before we even start discussing what going to be discussing what it's going to be next year. we thinking of a figure closer to 10, which would of bring in of course bring pay rates in line with inflation. the line with the inflation. the dispute also about conditions dispute is also about conditions from union's point view. from the union's point view. a lack of recruitment means that their had to do their members have had to do more work and they simply not being renewed, berated for it now as ever, with these industrial disputes whe

yesterday we heard from the unite general secretary, sharon graham said that the government willing toackin said a solution to the strike was staring the government in the face, namely an incremental pay rise and not a one off payment, as has been offered in wales and rejected by the unions there. the government, though says that there simply isn't enough money to give them what they want . to give them what they want. okay, thank you much okay, paul, thank you much indeed for that analysis. we're back with you a little bit later on in the show. 7:13. whether you're listening, whether you're watching. thank you very much indeed on this indeed for your company on this cold frosty monday morning, indeed for your company on this cold goingysty monday morning, indeed for your company on this cold going to' monday morning, indeed for your company on this cold going to bringjay morning, indeed for your company on this cold going to bringjay rup ning, indeed for your company on this cold going to bringjay rup t0|g, we're going to bring you up to date with the rest of date night with the rest