Healthworkers from all over the the United Kingdom call for everyone to join them for a minute’s silence at 11am on Tuesday April 28, Workers Memorial Day, to remember all the key workers who have died – but also to fight for the living. They want all workers to stop non-essential work that day and hold socially distanced protests to secure proper PPE, testing and tracing for all key workers. And without kit, there will be no care. The government has failed us – it’s time for the people to act.
Recognizing the great challenge that governments, employers, workers and whole societies are facing worldwide to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on addressing the outbreak of infectious diseases at work, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Concern is growing over the continuing rise in COVID-19 infections in some parts of the world and the ability to sustain declining rates in others. Governments, employers, workers and their organizations face enormous challenges as they try to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and protect safety and health at work. Beyond the immediate crisis, there are also concerns about resuming activity in a manner that sustains progress made in suppressing transmission.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on addressing the outbreak of infectious diseases at work, focussing on the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to stimulate national tripartite dialogue on safety and health at work. The ILO is using this day to raise awareness on the adoption of safe practices in workplaces and the role that occupational safety and health (OSH) services play. It will also focus on the medium to long-term, including recovery and future preparedness, in particular, integrating measures into OSH management systems and policies at the national and enterprise levels.
Original and exclusive think pieces on the OSH response to the Covid-19 pandemic from the global OSH community
“We need special measures to protect the millions of health care workers and other workers who risk their own health for us every day.”
“Teleworking offers new opportunities for workers to keep working… However, workers must be able to negotiate these arrangements so that they retain balance with other responsibilities, such as caring for children, the sick or the elderly, and of course themselves.”
ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder
Please note that the world day theme announced earlier for 2020 on violence and harassment in the world of work has been replaced in view of the current global crisis. The technical products and promotional material on violence and harassment will continue to be made available here .
We rely on them to save countless lives – but for them to be able to do their job, governments across the world must take stronger action now:
We need sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training so we can stay healthy while saving lives.
We need targeted measures to support health workers who will be working incredibly long hours: care must be provided for their children and other dependents too.
We need provisions for home working, paid sick leave, emergency unemployment benefits, and above all, free public healthcare for ALL.
We need well-staffed and resourced public health systems, equipped to respond to public health emergencies.
The ongoing Coronavirus outbreak is exposing the vital need for quality public services – especially well-staffed, resilient public health systems.
This is a matter of life and death
Video
Nurse George Poe Williams watched colleagues die as Ebola decimated the Liberian health workforce. Now, he has a message for governments around the world facing the #CoronaVirus: #SafeWorkersSaveLive. Join PSI’s Campaign now at peopleoverprofi.it
Safe Workers Save Lives
What can I do?
Fill in our survey and upload materials, resources and strategies for workers and unions dealing with the virus outbreak.
Share stories, photos, videos and testimonies from the front lines of the fight against the virus
Download our Poster to display at your workplace or share with your members.
Sign our petition below for Personal Protective Equipment and training for all workers who need it.
Browse our library of materials on COVID-19 for workers and unions.
What can unions do?
Fight for the active involvement of trade unions in government decision-making to safeguard workplace safety and health and ensure the costs of this crisis are not borne by the working class.
Contribute to policies which ensure all workers, including informal sector workers, casual or sub-contracted workers, are provided sufficient sick-pay and leave allowances for any necessary quarantine or when their workplaces are temporarily closed down to curtail transmission of the infection.
Push for the ILO guidelines on decent work in public emergency services to be adopted at the national level, to safeguard workers on the front line, as well as ILO Conventions 155, 187 and ILO Recommendations 194, 197, 171 and Protocol to Convention 155.
Stand up for the rights of migrants and refugees as part of the national COVID-19 response and combat all forms of xenophobia and racism.
Sharan Burrow’s (International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary) International Workers’ Memorial Day message on occupational health and safety (YouTube).
