says no worker should have to
risk their life because they haven't got the right protective
equipment.
In a video message on International Workers’ Memorial Day, the
Labour Leader says that as we observe one minute’s silence at
11am for those who have died, we must “continue to fight for
those on the frontline to protect their lives”.
“We owe it to them to make sure they've got the right equipment,
in the right place, at the right time and we will continue to
press on that,” he says.
He adds:
“We can't go out and clap on a Thursday, and pretend that when
this is over we can return to business as usual.
Many of those on the frontline have been undervalued and
underpaid for far, far too long and we owe them and the whole
country a vision of a better future when we come through this
pandemic, as we will.”
Ends
Full text of Keir’s video
message:
“Today is International Workers' Memorial Day, and it's the day
every year when we remember and reflect on all of those that have
lost their lives at work. A tragic thing for anybody; for their
family, their friends or their community and really important
that we remember it.
“This year of course is overlaid by the coronavirus. Every
day we see our key workers going out on the frontline, risking
their lives on behalf of all of us and, tragically, too many of
them have lost their lives.
“And we owe them a huge debt and as we reflect today, 11am
a minute's silence, on behalf of everybody who's lost their
lives, we think particularly of all the grieving families that
have lost a loved one.
“But remembering those that have lost their lives at work
doesn't end today. Our movement was built to be a voice for
working people, a force for working people and that's what we
will always be.
“Throughout this crisis we must continue to fight for those
on the frontline to protect their lives. Nobody should put their
lives at risk because they haven't got the right protective
equipment.
“We owe it to them to make sure they've got the right
equipment, in the right place, at the right time and we will
continue to press on that.
“And we go out every Thursday to clap our key workers, to
those that are taking that risk to their lives. But we can't go
out and clap on a Thursday, and pretend that when this is over we
can return to business as usual.
“Many of those on the frontline have been undervalued and
underpaid for far, far too long and we owe them and the whole
country a vision of a better future when we come through this
pandemic, as we will.”
-
Keir Starmer’s video message will be released on social
media at around 0730 on Tuesday 28 April.
