Workers’ Fears over Lockdown Easing
Johnson has announced a widespread easing of lockdown restrictions from July 4th. His government seems to think Cobvid-19 has gone away. It hasn’t. Workers are deeply concerned about the health risks to them of returning to work prematurely. This was only supposed to happen after ‘test, trace and isolate’ was in place. At present testing is a shambles and tracing doesn’t exist.
It is not only workers who are concerned about the risks to public health. Our leading scientists and medical experts are worried about Johnson’s recklessness. In an open letter to the British Medical Journal the Presidents of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Surgeons, GPs and Nursing and the Chair of the British Medical Association all warn of a second wave of the virus leading to a serious further loss of life.
Moreover the government has published a wad of complex precautions and preparations for the easing of lockdown, all to be implemented only a few days before July 4th. This points to a general problem. Easing risks the lives of working people, not the Tory ministers who just dish out the instructions. But they don’t bother to consult the workers, the people who actually do the job, to check for safety and practicability.
Len McCluskey, General Secretary of UNITE, commented: "Being serious about re-opening the economy safely means, as the government has repeatedly pledged, doing whatever it takes to build public and workforce confidence.
"Any suggested reduction to the two metre rule which has prevailed throughout the lockdown could backfire if the prime minister and the government cannot give an absolute assurance that public health will not be compromised.
"So I urge the prime minister to take UNITE up on its repeated offer to deploy our army of tens of thousands of health and safety reps to assist in re-opening workplaces and community spaces safely.
"Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland and Mark Drakeford in Wales have advised employers to work hand-in-hand with unions and safety reps to ensure that their workplaces are safe; surely English workers deserve the same investment in their safety?
"Prime minister, UNITE'S offer still stands. Put our expertise to best use, assisting in workplaces with no dedicated health and safety expertise. We could save small businesses a small fortune as our expertise comes with no cost.
"This is literally a win: win for the government - safer workplaces and a more confident public. I am baffled by the government's reluctance to accept this contribution to the national effort of bringing the country out of lockdown.
"There will inevitably be confusion as any new guidance is rolled out, and there are concerns in specific sectors of the economy, including warehousing, hospitality and meat processing that mixed messages on social distancing will actually hamper the recovery.”
Transport workers’ union TSSA has even sharper concerns. It warns of a national strike by its members unless the government gives reassurances that the two-metre social distancing rule will stay in place on public transport.
Announcing the strike warning, TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “I will now be consulting our members over balloting for a national strike on public transport. We must protect transport workers and the travelling public should the government proceed with this reckless attempt to cut physical distancing to one metre early next month. I urge them to think again....It now appears that the Tories are looking to use these heroic workers as nothing more than cannon fodder. The government’s own review into social distancing makes clear the ‘high risks’ involved with public transport.
“What is staggering is that in almost the same breath the review says increased capacity is ‘necessary for economic growth’. In other words – the lives of passengers and our members are being put at risk so that fat cats can accumulate profits. This is an outrageous admission by our government whose first duty must always be to protect lives. We will not let that stand and do all we can to prevent more needless deaths across our transport network.”
TSSA has recently campaigned for justice following the death of railway ticket office clerk Belly Mujinga while on duty’. She was spat upon by a passenger who claimed to have Covid-19 and subsequently died of the virus.
Shopworkers’ union USDAW shares TSSA’s fears. warning that the adjustment could be “disastrous” for its members. USDAW general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Changing the rules would be an unnecessary burden on business, compromise the safety of staff and customers and create confusion.”
The Tories don’t care about workers’ lives. All they are interested in is profit.
:
