The planned eviction and forced displacement of Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem to make way for settler families – could amount to a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Cpnvention, according to the UN, and must not be allowed to go ahead.
We condemn the excessive use of force by Israeli security forces against Palestinians protesting against the evictions in Jerusalem, and the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza strip, which have reportedly killed over 20 Palestinians. The storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and violence inflicted on worshippers is equally condemned.
Palestinians have the right to peaceful protest – to protest against being forcibly evicted from their homes, to protest against being under occupation, to protest for their rights.
It is time for the UK government and international community to take firm action and hold the Israeli government account – to stop the persistent violations of international law, to stop the excessive use of force against Palestinians, and to end the illegal occupation.
The TUC has long-standing policy in support of Palestinian rights and justice for Palestine. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and all the victims of the violence of recent days.
The TUC is interested in the experiences of people with Long Covid in work, including people who have lost their jobs because of Long Covid.
Long Covid is the term used to describe COVID-19 symptoms that extending beyond the initial infection. Evidence on Long Covid points to symptoms of COVID-19 lasting for weeks, months and possibly years after the infection.
This survey asks questions to better understand how workers with Long Covid have been treated in the workplace.
This May Day we are reminded of our past struggles for dignity and justice, and the huge challenges we face in defending our members throughout this pandemic.
We have seen all those who delivered vital services during this trying year and have fought to ensure their rights.
Collectively we must address the economic impact of the pandemic, ever growing inequality, structural racism, the rise of far right populism and the climate crisis.
Our fundamental values of internationalism and solidarity endure and we send you and all the workers you represent our warm may day wishes. We know that when we work together across borders we can achieve true and lasting change.
We appreciate and value our continued friendship and look forward to working together over the coming months to achieve equality, social justice, peace, decent work and an end to exploitation.
In solidarity
Frances O’Grady
TUC May Day video
May Day is a moment to remind ourselves that when workers come together across borders, no-one can keep us down.
The TUC is calling for an immediate public inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The call came as workers around the world marked International Workers’ Memorial Day yesterday, in memory of those who have died, been injured, suffered work-related ill-health or been infected at work.
Official figures show more than 11,000 working age people have died of Covid-19 since the pandemic began.
The TUC says that alongside scrutinising the quality of decision-making across the pandemic response in government, the public inquiry must specifically look at infection control and workplace safety, including the failure to provide adequate financial support to self-isolate, PPE availability for health and care staff and other frontline workers throughout the crisis, the effectiveness of test and trace, and the failure to enforce the law on workplace safety.
It adds it should examine the unequal impact of Covid-19 on different groups of workers, specifically Black and Minority Ethnic workers and insecure occupations among whom Covid mortality rates are disproportionately higher.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Any public inquiry must look at why workers were put at risk – be it through inadequate PPE or being unable to afford to self-isolate.
“This isn’t about settling scores. It’s about getting answers and learning the lessons to save lives in future. On International Workers’ Memorial Day, we remember those who have died, and pledge ourselves to fight for safe workplaces for everyone.”
Jo Goodman, co-founder of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said: “An independent, judge-led statutory public inquiry is vital to making sure we learn lessons and save lives during the pandemic and for any future waves.”
The families of Unite members who lost loved ones to Covid-19 walked the memorial wall in London ton International Workers’ Memorial Day.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey and the families also joined with TUC representatives to observe the minute’s silence at midday on 28 April.
Unite said it is throwing its weight behind calls for a statutory public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic, recently rejected by ministers, and is backing the campaign for the National Covid Memorial Wall in Lambeth, south London, to be made permanent.
The memorial wall is made up of 150,000 individual painted hearts, one for every UK person who lost their life to the disease in the past year. The wall is around half a kilometre long and takes around 10 minutes to walk.
Len McCluskey joined Hannah Brady and Leshie Chandrapala, who both lost their fathers to the disease last year. Hannah’s father caught the virus while travelling to his work in a factory, while Leshie’s father was one of 27 London bus drivers who died of the disease between March and May last year.
Speaking ahead of his visit, Len McCluskey said: “Unite offers the bereaved families our full support in securing a permanent home for this incredible wall, and in the continued battle for the full and frank public inquiry the country needs.”
The TUC has warned the UK government and employers that “infections could rebound” if workplaces aren’t Covid-Secure – as hospitality and non-essential shops prepare to reopen this month.
The union body says the vaccine rollout and workplace testing must not be used as an excuse to relax safe working rules.
New guidance for “safe and responsible” return
Over 11,000 working age people have died during the pandemic, with thousands of outbreaks in workplaces.
A new TUC report published today sets out the steps ministers and employers should take to keep people safe at work and to prevent another spike in workplace infections.
These include:
1) Making workplaces Covid-Secure: The TUC says all employers must update their risk assessments to take account of what we now know about the importance of ventilation.
As the UK unlocked in summer 2020, more emphasis was placed on surface disinfection – but the guidance has since changed to make effective ventilation the priority.
The TUC says that any activity which can be conducted outside should be, and that employers should invest in ventilation systems, as well as continuing to enforce social distancing and the wearing of face coverings.
A TUC survey of more than 2,000 union safety representatives published this week revealed that one in four reps are unaware of a risk assessment taking place in their workplace in the last two years. This is despite it being a legal requirement for employers to have an up-to-date risk assessment and to consult safety reps and involve staff in writing it.
In addition, the TUC notes that the guidance on working from home has not changed. Everyone who can work from home should continue to do so until at least 21 June. Employers should assess the ability to work from home at the level of individual jobs, and should not require workers to travel to workplaces where they do desk-based jobs, even in sectors that are allowed to be open.
2) Decent sick pay for all:The TUC says decent sick pay remains critical to ensuring a safe return to work.
The union body says it “beggars belief” that a year into the crisis ministers still haven’t fixed the problem of workers not being able to afford to self-isolate – despite repeated warnings from the TUC and the government’s own head of Test and Trace Dido Harding.
A new TUC poll of private sector employers reveals that of those who intend to use workplace testing, 28 per cent pay only statutory sick pay. SSP is now £96.35 per week, which the TUC says is too low to live on and will cause hardship. Only 47 per cent of those employers surveyed who propose to use workplace testing provide full company sick pay.
The TUC says ministers should increase statutory sick pay to at least the rate of the real Living Wage, and extend eligibility to the two million low-paid workers who currently don’t qualify for it.
3) Supporting workers to get vaccinated:The TUC says employers must step up and help the national health effort by giving their staff paid time off to get vaccinated.
But recently published polling reveals less than half of firms surveyed (45%) give their workforces paid time off to get the jab.
The union body says companies should seek to persuade staff to get the vaccine, but not make it a condition of employment. The TUC says that making vaccinations compulsory will damage employer-staff relations and could result in legal cases on the grounds of discrimination.
The TUC says that there are still questions to be answered about Covid status passports, including how testing data will be collected, and how any scheme will maintain the confidentiality of workers’ personal health information.
The TUC believes any Covid status passport scheme must require employers to consult with recognised unions at sectoral and workplace level, and will only work where employers provide decent sick pay.
4) Cracking down on bosses who risk workers’ safety: As the UK reopens, the TUC says that the government must start cracking down on employers who break the rules on workplace safety.
Despite thousands of workplace outbreaks, not a single employer has been fined and prosecuted for putting their staff in danger. And the TUC notes that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has still not amended its much-criticised designation of coronavirus as a “significant” rather than a “serious” workplace risk, which limits the enforcement options open to inspectors.
The TUC says the government must take a much harder stance with companies who flout health and safety rules, and provide the HSE with a long-term funding boost.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:“We all want this lockdown to be the last. But if we get workplace safety wrong, the virus could rebound.
“Ministers must send out a strong message to employers: act now on workplace safety.
“The government has imposed big fines on individuals who break lockdown rules. But not a single employer has been prosecuted and fined for putting workers or the public at risk. It’s time for the Health and Safety Executive to crack down on bad bosses.
“Over a year into the pandemic, it beggars belief that ministers have not fixed sick pay. Sick pay is too little to live on. No wonder too many are not self-isolating when they need to.
“Ministers have the power to make self-isolation effective overnight – and cut transmission immediately. All they need to do is raise statutory sick pay to the level of the real Living Wage, and make sure everyone can get it.”
On the responsibilities of employers, Frances said:“Before reopening, every employer must run a new risk assessment, prioritising good ventilation – and act to make sure their workplace is Covid-Secure. They have to consult their workers and unions on their safety plans. And they have to publish their risk assessment to reassure their workers and customers.
“Even as some workplaces reopen, employers must still make sure that everyone who can work from home continues to do so.
“More people are getting vaccinated every day – but that does not mean that employers can skimp on safety measures at work.”
Garden centres and homeware stores reopen on the 5th of April in Scotland and all remaining stores on 26 April.
The Commission, chaired by education consultant and ex-charity boss Dr Tony Sewell, was set up last summer following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent rise of the Black Lives Matter campaign.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued the following statement: “The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities was launched to conduct a detailed, data-led examination of inequality across the entire population, and to set out a positive agenda for change.
“I want to thank Dr Tony Sewell and each of the commissioners for generously giving their time to lead this important piece of work. It is now right that the Government considers their recommendations in detail, and assesses the implications for future government policy.
“The entirety of government remains fully committed to building a fairer Britain and taking the action needed to address disparities wherever they exist.”
Commenting on the report published yesterday by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Gray said: “Institutional and structural racism exists in the UK, in both the labour market and wider society.
“Black and Minority Ethnic workers are far more likely than White workers to be in low-paid, insecure jobs – such as temporary and agency jobs or zero hours contracts. And Black and Minority Ethnic workers have been far more likely to be exposed to Covid infection and far more likely to die – because they are far more likely to be in frontline roles.
“This is institutional racism. And it traps too many Black and Minority Ethnic workers in poverty, insecurity and low pay.
“We hoped that the Commission would recommend action to stamp out insecure work and make employers act to close their ethnicity pay gaps.
“Instead, the Commission has chosen to deny the experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic workers and be complacent about the UK’s progress towards being an anti-racist society.
“The TUC calls on politicians of all parties to stand with Black and Minority Ethnic workers and commit to ending institutional racism in the UK labour market and society – starting with bringing in mandatory ethnicity pay gap action plans and banning zero hours contracts.”
Commenting on the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities: The Report, Dr Hodon Abdi, co-chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said:“We are disappointed in the findings of this report in relation to health.
“Last month, the Workforce Race Equality Standard report was published and its stark findings demonstrated the difference of experience between ethnic minority staff and their white counterparts.
“The findings of the WRES, while shocking, revealed that NHS health workers from ethnic minority backgrounds find it harder to progress in their career, are less likely to be appointed in roles they are shortlisted for, and were more likely to suffer bullying, harassment and abuse from both patients and from other staff, than their white colleagues.
“The report presented the reality that many of our colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds face. The report was a positive starting point to begin a discussion and it presented an opportunity for health organisations to acknowledge the severity of the problem in the NHS and begin to actively tackle them with tangible solutions.
“Sadly, the CRED report seems to have ignored the findings of the WRES. We, however, are committed to addressing all equality, equity and race issues and will continue to provide proactive solutions to real problems our members and ED staff face.”
Dr David Chung, co-chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee, said:“The NHS staff survey 2020, published earlier this month, found that ethnic minority staff were more likely to be deployed onto covid wards and our own survey found that ethnic minority staff were less likely to be risk assessed, less likely to have access to appropriate PPE, and were less likely to have PPE fitted.
“The CRED report suggests a very different story and fails to recognise what is in plain sight. That, within the NHS systemic and structural racism is prevalent: across recruitment; pay; career progression and opportunity; and the experience of bullying, harassment, or abuse.
“We must be honest about racism and not gloss over the issues. We must take a proactive approach in tackling these issues and we must better support and protect staff from ethnic minority backgrounds and act to make the NHS a more equal and accepting workplace.
“If we fail to acknowledge racism within the NHS, we could fail to recognise any racism towards patients. There is a link between structural racism and health inequalities and we must admit that so we can begin to address it.
“In the College’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, we are fully committed to recognising and addressing all issues around equity, equality and race. Racism and disparities are unacceptable in our College, they are unacceptable in Emergency Medicine, and they are unacceptable in the NHS.”
Survey of more than 2,100 workplace safety representatives reveals employer failures on risk assessments, social distancing and PPE during the pandemic
More than a quarter of safety reps were not aware of a risk assessment in their workplace in the last two years – despite a legal requirement to consult them
University of Greenwich report uncovers lack of health and safety structures in UK workplaces
Government must improve enforcement to keep all workers safe as economy re-opens, says TUC
The TUC’s 2020/21 survey of more than 2,100 workplace safety representatives, published on Monday, reveals that many employers are failing to follow Covid-secure rules and keep workers safe.
Safety representatives are trained worker experts, with protected legal rights under the Health and Safety at Work Act. They are often on the frontline of safety enforcement in workplaces across the public and private sector. Employers must consult safety representatives on their risk assessments and Covid-secure action plans.
But the TUC’s biennial survey has found that, in many cases, employers are failing to follow Covid-secure rules – and this is putting workers at risk of infection and avoidable illness.
Survey findings on Covid-19 and health and safety at work
Risk assessments: Morethan a quarter of safety representatives said they were not aware of a formal risk assessment being carried out in their workplace in the last two years, covering the period of the pandemic. One in ten (9%) said their employer had not carried out a risk assessment, while 17% said they did not know whether a risk assessment had taken place. Of those who said their employers had carried out a risk assessment, more than a fifth (23%) said they felt the risk assessments were inadequate.
Workplace outbreaks: More than three-quarters of safety representatives (83%) said employees had tested positive for Covid-19 in their workplace, while more than half (57%) said their workplaces had seen a “significant” number of cases.
Enforcement by the Health and Safety Executive: Less than one quarter (24%) of respondents said their workplace had been contacted by a Health and Safety Executive inspector, or other relevant safety inspectorate in the last 12 months. More than a fifth (22%) said their workplace had never been visited by an HSE inspector, as far as they were aware.
Social distancing: A quarter (25%) of representatives said their employer did not always implement physical distancing between colleagues through social distancing or physical barriers. Just over a fifth (22%) said their employer did not always implement appropriate physical distancing between employees and customers, clients or patients.
Personal protective equipment: More than a third (35%) said adequate PPE was not always provided.
Mental health concerns and stress: Almost two-thirds of safety representatives (65%) said they are dealing with an increased number of mental health concerns since the pandemic began. Three-quarters (76%) cited stress as a workplace hazard.
Comments from health and safety reps
Rebecca, safety rep in social care: “Managers refused to do risk assessments back in March [2020], but by summer they started to do it. I am proud that I fought hard for that, and for better PPE.”
Tom, safety rep in transport: “My employers have been slow to react to the pandemic and have not followed through with legal guidelines.”
Kate, safety rep in central government: “The biggest problem in my workplace has been a lack of requirement for the workforce to self-isolate until positive cases were confirmed and tracing contacts identified – potentially adding to further spread of cases of infection. Trade union Health and Safety reps prompted improvements to desk spacing to ensure social distancing, and provision of hand sanitiser at all entrances and exits.”
James, safety rep in an NHS hospital: “Covid-19 has raised stress and anxiety levels. People are anxious, depressed and despondent. Stress levels are really high. Staff are at breaking point.”
University of Greenwich report
Alongside the reps survey, the TUC is also publishing today (Monday) a report commissioned from the University of Greenwich, which shows an absence of health and safety compliance in UK workplaces.
The research found 1 in 4 managers working in the food and drinks industry – a sector that’s had several covid outbreaks – were unaware of a Covid risk assessment in their workplace.
The report also shows those in workplaces with union health and safety reps were significantly more likely to have sufficient PPE (73% versus 53% of those with no health and safety representative).
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:“Britain’s safety representatives are sounding the alarm. Too many workplaces are not Covid-secure. This is a big worry for people expecting to return to their workplace soon. And it should be a big priority for ministers too. We must have robust health and safety in place to reduce the risk of infections rising again when workplaces reopen.
“Everyone has the right to be safe at work. The government must take safety representatives’ warnings seriously. Ministers must tell the Health and Safety Executive to crack down on bad bosses who risk workers’ safety. And they must provide funding to get more inspectors into workplaces to make sure employers follow the rules.
“Unionised workplaces are safer workplaces, and union safety representatives save lives. We send our thanks to the safety reps across the country for all they are doing to keep working people safe in the pandemic.”
Professor Sian Moore, the University of Greenwich report’s lead author, said:“Our research found a worrying lack of health and safety structures in British workplaces.
“But we also identified the very real contribution to workplace safety made by union reps during the pandemic.
“Workplaces with union health and safety representatives were significantly more likely to report sufficient PPE.
“Employers are more likely to share risk assessments in workplaces with union recognition and health and safety representatives.
“This shows the important role union representatives play in keeping workers safe. But we also saw a climate of risk and fear in workplaces where unions are excluded or side-lined from risk assessments.”
New TUC analysis of official statistics shows BME youth unemployment rate has increased at twice the speed of young white workers during the pandemic
Union body calls on ministers to create good new jobs, extend and widen Kickstart scheme and boost universal credit
The unemployment rate for young black and minority ethnic (BME) workers has risen at more than twice the speed of the unemployment rate for young white workers, according to new TUC analysis.
The analysis of ONS figures reveals that the unemployment rate for young BME people aged 16-24 years old soared from 18.2% to 27.3% between the final quarter of 2019 and the final quarter of 2020. This is a 50% increase in the rate over the period, and a rise of 9ppts.
Over the same period the unemployment rate for young white workers rose from 10.1% to 12.4% – an increase of 22% of the original rate, or 2.3 percentage points.
These unemployment figures measure the proportion of young people who want to work who are in a job, and do not include young people who are inactive such as students. They tell us that BME young people who choose to work, rather than study, have a more difficult time in the labour market than their white peers.
Youth unemployment
Previous TUC analysis found that young workers generally have suffered a bigger hit to their job prospects than any other age group.
More young workers were made redundant during summer 2020 than in all of 2019. And the number of pay-rolled employees aged under 25 fell by 437,000 between February 2020 and February 2021. This accounts for 63% of the nearly 700,000 payroll jobs lost over the pandemic.
The TUC says this is largely the result of Covid-19 hitting sectors of the economy where young people tend to work, such as accommodation and food services.
But the union body is concerned that the disproportionate effect on young BME people is further evidence of racism within the labour market.
Government action needed now
The TUC is calling on the government to:
Create good new jobs. We could create 1.8 million new jobs in the next two years in green transport and infrastructure, and by unlocking public sector vacancies.
Improve and extend the Kickstart scheme. The scheme is not effective as it doesn’t guarantee a high-quality sustainable job on a decent wage for every young unemployed person. Ministers should also ensure that ethnic monitoring is built into the scheme so it is clear who is taking part and whether they are getting jobs at the end. In addition, Government should encourage employers to use positive action measures permitted by the Equality Act.
Give more financial support for people who have lost their jobs. Without a boost to universal credit, many will be pushed into poverty.
Provide dedicated careers advice for young workers who have lost their jobs.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Covid has removed any doubt that racism exists in our workplaces – and in wider society. And our new analysis shows that it starts as early as age 16.
“All our young people need opportunities as they start out on their careers – but they’ve been hit hardest by job losses in the pandemic. And some are facing additional obstacles because of their race. That’s wrong.
“Ministers must stop delaying and challenge the racism and inequality that holds back BME people from such an early age. And start creating good new jobs so that all of our young people have a fulfilling future to look forward to.”
Chair of the TUC Young Workers Forum Alex Graham said: “Young workers have experienced first-hand the impact of the pandemic. Many have lost jobs and others are concerned that without help from government, they will be out of work too.
“The disproportionate impact on young BME workers is another reminder that racism exists in the labour market as in wider society. More work is needed to tackle discrimination in the labour market and make racism it a thing of the past.
“The government must act to protect and create jobs and provide careers advice to help young people find work. We’ll be talking at our conferences about the all the action needed to stop the mass unemployment of young workers.”
Yesterdaymarked the one-year anniversary of the furlough scheme being introduced. TUC’s ALEX COLLISON takes stock
The scheme, a big win for the union movement, guarantees that employees working for businesses that have been closed due to social restrictions, who may have otherwise lost their jobs, receive at least 80 per cent of their wages while they’re unable to work.
Numbers using the scheme
The furlough scheme has undoubtedly protected millions of jobs throughout the pandemic, making it one of the few big successes in the government’s response to the pandemic.
Between the scheme’s introduction and the middle of February 2021, 11.2 million jobs have been furloughed at some point, with 1.3 million employers making use of it.
Use of the furlough scheme peaked in early May 2020, when 8.9 million jobs were furloughed. 4.7 million jobs were still furloughed at the end of January 2021, the latest available day that HMRC figures cover. A business survey from the ONS provides more up-to-date information, showing that 19% of the private sector workforce was furloughed in early March. This has been the same since January, and suggests the number of people furloughed has likely stayed around the same since January.
The number of people furloughed in January 2021 is the highest it’s been since July.
As you’d expect given the sectors most impacted by social restrictions, use of the scheme has been much higher in some industries than others. At the end of January, 44% of all furloughed jobs are within two industries: accommodation and food services (24%) and wholesale and retail (20%).
This equates to 1.1 million jobs in accommodation and food, and 940,000 jobs in wholesale and retail.
While the arts and entertainment sector has less jobs furloughed (315,000), this constitutes a large percentage of its workforce. 55% of the workforce was furloughed at the end of January 2021. This is a similar rate to accommodation and food (56%).
Across all industries, the number of jobs furloughed at the end of January was 47% lower than it was when furlough was at its peak. But, again, this varies by industry.
Construction and manufacturing, for example, both had large numbers of jobs furloughed in May 2020. While there’s still a significant number of jobs furloughed in these industries, the number has fallen by around two-thirds. In contrast, the number of employments furloughed in accommodation and food and arts and entertainment has fallen by 30%.
And it’s worth noting where these jobs may have gone. HMRC data on the number of payrolled employees shows that accommodation and food and arts and entertainment saw the most job losses between April 2020 and January 2021.
It therefore seems likely that some workers in these industries are losing their jobs rather than returning from furlough.
The scheme hasn’t been perfect
While the furlough scheme has undoubtedly saved millions of jobs, it hasn’t been perfect. A key flaw of the scheme is that there’s no protection to ensure no one is paid below the minimum wage while furloughed. While employers can choose to top up the wages of furloughed workers, not all do.
Low-paid workers are more likely to not to have their pay topped up. Because of this, in April 2020, around the peak of the scheme, just over two million employees were not being paid the legal minimum.
This means that the household finances of many low-paid workers, already being paid an insufficient minimum wage, have been hit hard.
Young workers, part-time workers and workers in the hospitality sector have also been more likely to be affected. Shockingly, a third of all accommodation and food workers were not earning the legal minimum wage in April 2020.
As well as this, the government’s attempts to wind down the scheme have often proved premature. The number of jobs furloughed hit its lowest point on October 31st, when it dropped to 2.4 million. The scheme was due to end on this day, but was extended at the last minute.
The number of employments furloughed went up to 3.7 million on November 1st, and then increased further a few days later due to stricter lockdown measures being introduced. This uncertainty around the future of the furlough scheme seems to have led to unnecessary job losses.
And the government has struggled to reach those in non-conventional work, whether self-employed forced to operate through companies, zero-hours workers, and those mixing employment and self-employment.
The government introduced the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) alongside the furlough scheme, but the two didn’t seamlessly interact to cover all workers, and the requirements of the scheme have meant that millions of workers have fallen between the cracks, unable to get support.
What next?
The government has committed to keeping the furlough scheme running until the end of September. The amount the government contributes to the wages of furloughed workers will begin to reduce before then, dropping to 70% in July and 60% in August and September.
The current roadmap out of lockdown provisionally plans for all areas of the economy to be up and running months before the end of furlough. However, the September end date creates a cliff edge, especially as it comes alongside the end of the Universal Credit uplift. The government must ensure it adapts the scheme to any changes of the roadmap. If business closures last longer than expected, so too should the scheme.
It’s also urgent that the government overhauls our broken social safety net so that it properly supports for those who need it. This includes raising both Universal Credit and legacy benefits to at least 80% of the national living wage (£260 per week), ending the five-week wait by converting advance payment loans to grants, and scrapping the two-child limit, benefits cap and no-recourse-to-public-funds rules.
Finally, it’s important that the government begins to look beyond the scheme. Investing now in good, well-paid jobs will help to replace any jobs lost when the scheme ends.
Fast tracking spending on projects such as broadband, green technology, transport and housing, for example, could deliver a 1.24 million jobs boost by 2022, and the TUC has set out plans to fill and create 600,000 jobs in the public sector.
As trade unionists, we stand united against the epidemic of male violence. We also stand against the disproportionate threat of male violence faced by women, by Black and migrant communities, by LGBT+ individuals and by disabled people.
Violence against women and girls is rooted in structural inequalities and power imbalances between men and women. Women’s experience of violence is shaped by other factors such as ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, immigration status and disability. Experiencing intersecting inequalities compounds the threat of violence women face.
Male violence threatens women in all areas of their lives – in our homes, workplaces, and in public and digital spaces. Institutional and systemic failings enable and empower perpetrators and deny women safety and justice.
In the UK:
97 per cent of young women have been sexually harassed
One in two women are sexually harassed in the workplace
80 per cent of women of all ages have been sexually harassed in public
Women who report rape have a less than 4 per cent chance of it ever being heard in court
Three women are killed each week as a result of domestic abuse homicides
Women are not responsible for the actions of men.
We stand with survivors of male violence. With the families of Sarah Everard, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry and countless others who have lost a loved one to violence.
Government must act now to dismantle institutional sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination.
To start that work, we call on Ministers to:
1. Implement a new mandatory duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment at work and ratify ILO Convention No.190
2. Include migrant women within the Domestic Abuse Bill provisions and ensure safe reporting routes for women with insecure migration status
3. Reverse the cuts to public services and ensure all relevant public sector staff receive enhanced training on preventing and responding to violence against women
4. Provide long-term funding commitments to support the provision of vital, life-saving services for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence that meet the level of need, including specialised by-and-for BME, LBT+ and disabled women’s services
5. Draw up a cross-departmental action plan to tackle the structural inequalities experienced by women, Black communities, LGBT+ and disabled people in work, health, education, housing and justice
We demand safety. We demand justice. We demand equality.
