COVID and key workers - clapping is not enough

Conference notes that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed sharp inequalities in our society. Some big businesses have made huge profits and some individuals in the UK and across the world have increased their enormous wealth significantly.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has disproportionately hit working class people and communities and especially black and minority workers.

Conference notes that millions of workers have been designated ‘key workers’, including Fire Brigades Union Members. Such workers have been required to carry on attending the workplace with all the additional risks that this brought.

Conference notes that key workers are in both the public and private sector and we reject any attempt to create divisions between different groups of workers.

Conference notes that despite the huge contribution made by millions of key workers many face appalling attacks from their employers or from government in the form of fire and re-hire, redundancies and continuing pay restraint in the public sector.

Conference instructs the Executive Council (EC) to build a campaign for all workers in response to the sacrifices made during the pandemic;

• for unity of public and private sector workers
• to oppose fire and re-hire
• to scrap public sector pay restraint
• for pay rises for all workers
• for investment in public services.

Conference instructs all committees and Officials of the Union, including the EC, to support such initiatives in any way possible