28 April 2020
RMT Press Office:
One minute's silence at 11:00 a.m. to remember key workers.
TRANSPORT UNION RMT is advising workers against supporting any unsafe easing of lock down measures and calls for new powers for trade union safety representatives on International Workers ’ Memorial Day.
The 28th April, is commemorated by the global trade union movement as International Workers’ Memorial Day, which is organised under the slogan “remember the dead fight for the living. That means as well as remembering all the key workers who have given their lives in the war against Coronavirus that we also must fight to protect key workers who are continuing to combat COVID -19.
RMT, which represents key workers in the transport and energy sector, is supporting today’s minute’s silence for key workers and has said it will advise members against cooperating with any unsafe easing of lock down measures in the future.
The union also called for new powers and legal rights for workplace safety representatives that would include the establishment of roving trade union health and safety representatives. These reps could access every workplace regardless of whether the union was recognised and take steps to prevent unsafe working practices which do not provide adequate protection against Coronavirus.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;
“Today, 28th April, is recognised by the global trade union movement as International Workers’ Memorial Day with the slogan “remember the dead fight, for the living.”
“We are taking this opportunity to both remember and thank our key worker heroes and also fight for workers’ rights today.
“In recent days there has been a disturbing stream of Tory backbenchers and Grandees talking up an easing of lockdown measures. To be clear we will advise our members in the transport sector against cooperating with any unsafe easing of lock down measures.”
“On Workers’ Memorial Day we are calling for new powers for trade union workplace safety representatives. This would include the establishment of roving trade union health and safety representatives who could access every workplace and take steps to prevent unsafe working practices which do not provide adequate protection against Coronavirus.
“All the evidence shows that workplaces with trade union safety reps are also safer workplaces and that means such reps must be recognised as central to the fight against Coronavirus.”
Ends.
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