In response to the International Trade Union Confederation’s (ITUC) call to share plans and activities on Workers Memorial Day, Dutch trade union federation Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) has announced the creation of a dedicated 28 April webpage.
UK transport union RMT has advised tens of thousands of workers in the rail and bus sector to stop work on safety grounds if employers do not provide protection from Covid-19. It says the union’s message to members follows escalating concerns that many employers are not taking steps to protect transport workers.
The RMT advice says rail and bus workers should stop work and invoke the “safe work procedure if employers do not follow key protection measures” including only conducting activities related to essential services, avoiding group and close promixity work and maintaining two metre separation of workers. Where this isn’t possible on essential jobs “then personal protective equipment such as gloves, eye defenders and masks [are] to be utilised by all workers in close proximity to provide mutual assurance and the time spent within two metres must be minimised and only for the purpose of the task. If full appropriate PPE is not available then work should not commence.”
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said “we have issued advice to our members in the rail and bus sectors that they should stop work on safety grounds if employers do not provide protection from Covid-19. That means that if they are not provided with PPE, including masks, eye defenders and gloves where necessary they should not be working.” He added: “Our members are increasingly concerned that many employers are not taking steps to protect transport workers despite rail and bus staff playing a key role in keeping people and goods moving in the fight against Covid-19.”
Citing the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the union advice notes: “Employees are protected by law if they decide that their work situation represents a threat of ‘serious or imminent danger’ and as a result of this belief they remove themselves to a place of safety. Protection is also given to trade union appointed health and safety representatives. RMT believes the current coronavirus–Covid-19 pandemic represents a real threat to life that can be deemed as ‘serious and imminent’.”
RMT news release and advice for rail and bus members.
As normal public events for 28 April won’t be possible because of measures to contain coronavirus/Covid-19, the UK’s national Hazards Campaign has published its own 10-point plan for mostly virtual action. The national campaign says marking International Workers’ Memorial Day has never been more important.
“Some workplace events may still go ahead but we are taking #iwmd20 online, developing a social media campaign that we want everyone to join in,” The campaign says. “This will keep the day and its perennial aims on the public and political agenda with the slogan to ‘Remember the Dead and Fight for the Living’.
This year’s international theme has been changed by the global union confederation ITUC to ‘Stop the pandemic at work’.” The campaign’s 10-point plan includes displaying a series of print-off-or-order posters and other graphics in your window, posting selfies with the hashtag #iwmd20 and telling the campaign what you are doing and where.
The Hazards Campaign poster message is: “Whether the threat at work is another new virus, dangerous substances or heartbreaking demands, your life should not be on the line. Unions can make it better.” Tag lines for the union-led event, which has become the world’s biggest health and safety campaign day, include ‘Unions – Fighting for your life’.
The campaign is also supporting the ITUC’s call for people to light a candle (safely) in their window on the evening of 28 April.
Hazards Campaign 28 April call to action. Campaign materials can be downloaded for free, printed off, used online and in social media campaigns, as can a series of Hazards Campaign display boards.
TUC 28 April 2020 news and resources webpage.
Global action and resources: ITUC/Hazards 28 April website.
We dedicate our efforts to the upcoming Intl Workers Memorial Day (April 28) to our beloved Jin Sook Lee. It will be challenging to take action, but unions must not be silenced. We call on our affiliates to take part on this, starting 20 April. Protect Workers! Stop COVID-19! pic.twitter.com/BpPDYvfVdC
— BWI Global Union (@BWIglobal) April 16, 2020
#Employers are supposed to ensure workers are protected against #COVID19 infection by observing the following easy routine.#Waajiri wanatakiwa kuhakikisha wanawakinga wafanyakazi wasipate maambukizi ya #COVID19 kwa kufuata haya.#JikingeNaCorona #handwashchallenge pic.twitter.com/lp1a3ZfBfU
— TUICO Tanzania (@TuicoUnion) April 16, 2020
#Employers are supposed to ensure workers are protected against #COVID19 infection by observing the following easy routine.#Waajiri wanatakiwa kuhakikisha wanawakinga wafanyakazi wasipate maambukizi ya #COVID19 kwa kufuata haya.#JikingeNaCorona #handwashchallenge pic.twitter.com/lp1a3ZfBfU
— TUICO Tanzania (@TuicoUnion) April 16, 2020
Results from a survey of over 1,500 workers in Scotland have revealed the advantages enjoyed by unionised workers over un-unionised workers during the pandemic.
In terms of security, the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) study reveals that unionised workers are half as likely to feel their job is at risk than those who are not in unions, and that almost two-thirds of un-unionised workers are worried about paying bills compared to a third of unionised workers.
Unionised workers also feel safer, have some degree of better access to PPE, and are working in places with clearer policies on dealing with the virus.
STUC general secretary designate, Rozanne Foyer, said “the results of this survey are clear. During exceptional times and periods of crisis, when the music stops, those who are in unions find they have the support, security and safety that many other workers can only dream about.
“It is a hard time for all workers, but life is made a little easier when you know that you are part of a collective. The statistics speak for themselves. Now it’s time for people in unions to speak with friends and family about why it matters to get yourself in a union before you go back to work.”
Among the statistics are:
Full STUC news release and survey findings.
Материал Глобального союза IndustriALL о праве отказаться или приостановить выполнение работы, которая угрожает жизни и здоровью.
http://www.industriall-union.org/ru/pravo-otkazatsya
Publicación de IndustriALL Global Union sobre el derecho a rechazar o detener el trabajo inseguro.
http://www.industriall-union.org/es/el-derecho-a-decir-que-no
IndustriALL Global Union’s publication on the right to refuse or to shut down unsafe work.
http://www.industriall-union.org/right-to-refuse
