Unions respond to Andy Burnham’s arrival by warning of potential strikes in the NHS and schools unless pay offers improve. Reporting also points to figures comparing public and private sector pay, saying state salaries are already rising faster than private sector earnings. The outlets describe unions using the political transition as a basis to press for better pay settlements, framing the action as contingent on the outcome of upcoming negotiations. They indicate that the threatened industrial action would involve workers in both NHS services and the education sector, should employers or government departments fail to meet union demands for improved pay. While the coverage highlights existing pay trends, the immediate focus remains on whether talks produce pay deals acceptable to unions. No details in the provided excerpts specify the exact proposed pay changes, the timing of any potential strike action, or the negotiating parties involved beyond references to NHS and schools workers and existing pay comparisons.