Sharon Graham, Unite’s new leader, plots a radical overhaul
British workplaces are likely to see more strikes
AGED 17 AND working as a silver-service waitress in London, Sharon Graham led an unofficial walkout in support of colleagues on casual contracts, which won them equal pay. It gave her a taste for facing off against employers. Now 52, she will soon have plenty of opportunity to satisfy it. On August 25th Unite, Britain’s second-largest—and by far its loudest—trade union, elected her as its new general secretary. She is expected to move the union away from Westminster and back into workplaces. The impact will be felt not just on the political left, but in boardrooms.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Bosses beware”
Britain August 28th 2021
- The Afghanistan debacle has weakened ties between Britain and America
- OnlyFans U-turns on its porn ban
- Britain has an enormous number of pheasants
- Sharon Graham, Unite’s new leader, plots a radical overhaul
- How German bombs shape London’s gangs
- Big British companies are entering the rental market
- Crossrail, London’s new train line, is almost finished
- What Tony taught Boris
Discover more
Are British voters as clueless as Labour’s intelligentsia thinks?
How the idea of false consciousness conquered the governing party
The best British companies to work for to get ahead
A new ranking of firms by pay, promotions and hiring practices
How the best British employers find and promote their staff
No degree? Some employers care much less than others
A tiny island fights the scourge of plastic on the beach
A Northern Irish experiment in recycling
A sticking-plaster policy for Britain’s strained courts
Magistrates get more power. Will they get punch-drunk on it?