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Union body says businesses and workers need
guarantees about jobs support
now
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Keeping people safe as they return to
workplaces and providing decent sick pay is
key to preventing another lockdown, says TUC
Responding to today’s (Monday)
announcement by the Prime Minister on the roadmap for easing
Covid-19 restrictions, Frances O’Grady
said:
“The
prime minister’s plan means some businesses will not be able to
reopen before furlough ends.
“This leaves workers worrying about their jobs and their
incomes in the gap – which might be months in some cases.
“The
government must stop dithering and delaying and extend the
full furlough scheme for at
least the rest of
2021. And
it mustprovide urgent support for the self-employed.
“With jobs and livelihoods hanging in
the balance there is no reason to keep workers and businesses
waiting.
“And we need a plan for
supporting the
parts of the economy hit hardest
by repeated
lockdown restrictions – like hospitality,
retail,aviation
and the creative
industries. Ministers cannot
watch from the sidelines as companies go the wall.”
On the need to prevent another spike in
Covid-19
infections, Frances
added:
“If the Prime Minister wants to make
sure we never go into lockdown again, he must do a better
job of
keeping people safe
as they return to workplaces in large
numbers.
“That means
beefing up workplace safety guidance so that it’s line with the latest science
and cracking down on employers
who put staff in danger.
“It beggars belief that
not one firm has been prosecuted and fined for breaking
the rules – and that the
Health and Safety Executive
has assessed Covid-19
not to be a “serious” workplace risk.
“To stop the virus flaring up again,
and sending us back into lockdown, it is more crucial than ever
to make sure everyone can afford to self-isolate. Ministers must
fix this: we need everyone to be eligible for statutory sick pay,
paid at the real Living Wage.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The TUC is calling for the job retention scheme to be
extended at 80% of wages for all businesses that need it. And for
the floor to be lifted for low-paid so workers so that no-one is
paid below the national minimum
wage.
- The Trades Union Congress (TUC)
exists to make the working world a better place for
everyone. We bring together more
than 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions.
We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for
everyone who works for a living.
