The new general secretary of the TUC has called for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister in a bid to break the deadlocked industrial disputes sweeping across the country.
Paul Nowak called for a change in government direction, saying ministers should open pay negotiations with unions.
It comes as rail workers continue a 48 hour strike, with more stoppages planned this month in the transport industry, NHS and civil service.
In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Mr Nowak said public services were in crisis after years of “underfunding and understaffing.”
He wrote: “We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.
“Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.
“This is simply unsustainable.
“But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.
“That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.”
You can watch his full interview from Sky News this morning below: