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Worker protections urgently needed to combat Covid-19, union demands

PROTECTIONS for workers are urgently needed to combat Covid-19, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) said today .

The union criticised the government and employers for failing to keep workers safe as the omicron variant continues to spread across Britain.

An IWGB statement said: “Precarious workers have been on the front lines of this crisis and the protection of their rights has been recognised as a major public health issue.

“They continue to play a vital role controlling the spread of the virus, whether by going out to work and providing for those most in need of making the difficult decision when sick to stay home.

“We urgently need to see longer-term measures that make the protection of public health more compatible with the protection of our civil liberties.

“That means investment in the NHS, it means defending and extending worker rights and it means holding corporations accountable for gambling with people’s lives. We cannot afford to continue with one rule for us and another for them.”

The IWGB is demanding that the statutory sick pay is increased and extended to all workers.

The current rate of £96.35 per week is one of the lowest in Europe and “nowhere near enough” to support workers who become sick, the union said.

The IWGB is also demanding that the government bring back furlough and the self-employment income support scheme for all who need it, regardless of their status or whether they have recourse to public funds.

And the union is demanding that health and safety regulations be enforced at workplaces as many employers have failed to provide personal protective equipment to their workers.

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