• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Unless Government fixes ‘gaping hole’ in safety net a second wave could financially ruin millions of workers

“People understand this is an unprecedented situation, but they also feel there has been a lack of basic competence and proper communication.”

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2020-09-10 10:23
in News
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Millions of workers will be left without a financial “safety net” in the event of a second wave of coronavirus or a spate of local lockdowns, unions are warning.

The TUC said the NHS Test and Trace system risks failure unless ministers boost statutory sick pay (SSP) and ensure all workers are eligible for it.

General secretary Frances O’Grady said people had already gone to work while ill because of the inadequacy of the SSP system.

She said the weekly rate for SSP of £95.85 is one of the lowest in Europe, with almost two million people missing out on receiving it because they do not meet the lower earnings limit.

She said: “Unless ministers fix this gaping hole in our safety net Britain will be ill-prepared for a second wave of infections or further local lockdowns.

Sick pay

“The Government must ensure that everyone has access to sick pay and raise the basic rate to at least the real living wage of £320 a week.”

A survey of 2,100 workers for the TUC found more than four in 10 would be “plunged” into financial hardship if forced to self-isolate for two weeks on SSP.

RelatedPosts

Watch: Newsnight replaces end credits with list of ministerial resignations

‘Get Exit done’: Deluded Johnson should look at newspaper front pages

Deluded trends as PM’s woes deepen with a leadership challenger and MORE resignations

You can not be serious! Boris Johnson refuses to resign under relentless pressure as Tennis quote rings true

Speaking ahead of next week’s TUC Congress, which is largely being held online because of the virus, she told the PA news agency that the Government had made some “major failures” in its handling of the crisis.

Its communications had often been “confusing and contradictory”, she said.

“People understand this is an unprecedented situation, but they also feel there has been a lack of basic competence and proper communication,” she added.

“There have been a spate of last minute announcements, without proper plans in place to back them up.”

Ms O’Grady said there had been an over reliance on private contractors to help tackle the pandemic, following a failure to invest in the resilience of public services.

She added: “Getting on top of the virus is the key to the safe reopening of the economy. As we have seen in other countries, if you have a proper test and trace system, and decent SSP, you don’t have to lock down whole cities.”

Slap in the face

She called for firms to publish risk assessments, and for the Government to enforce health and safety standards, to give workers the confidence to return to offices.

Ms O’Grady also warned the Government not to freeze next year’s increase in the minimum wage, saying it would be an “insult” to low-paid workers, especially in the social care sector.

“It would be a real slap in the face,” she added.

The slimmed down conference will be held on September 14 and 15 in London.

A Government spokesman said: “Statutory sick pay is a vital safety net and as part of the response to the pandemic we have made it payable from day one, extended it to those self-isolating and refunded employers with up to 250 staff the cost of up to a fortnight’s SSP for absence related to coronavirus.”

Related – Ending furlough scheme completely is ‘very, very short-sighted’

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

TLE’s…Marathon Essentials

Brexit trade minister begs US to ‘awaken to Brexit opportunity’

Sunak’s non-dom wife claimed hundreds of thousands of pounds in furlough cash

These are the wealthy Brexiters paying £50k each gain access to the PM

Greens stand aside to help Labour unseat Iain Duncan Smith in Chingford and Woodford Green

UK Weather forecast, Monday 28 June 2021

‘Ghastly stuff’ – Rees-Mogg offends SNP, ‘Woke’ people and Teeside

Research reveals mental health stigma in the workplace

The risks, benefits related to CFDs

“All bets are off” if passenger levels become crowded and dangerous

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.