Businesses
issue a warning as TUC uses key workers to call for minimum wage
to ₤10 an hour for everyone
TRADE Unionists around
the country are marking May Day, also known as:-
'International Workers' Day,' with an online #ThankAWorker
action, expressing gratitude to key workers who have made a
difference to them during lockdown. But the TUC believes that,
as well as thanking workers, Ministers must do more to improve
their pay and conditions. It sounds good that people could be
paid more, but many small businesses who are facing going under
say the calls by the TUC to push up minimum wage to ₤10 an hour
for everyone is a step to far. According to the TUC in a report
they have published on Friday, 1 May 2020, they say that 4 in 10
key workers in the North West, over 450,000 people, are paid
less than ₤10 an hour. But many small businesses point out that
if they pay more, it will mean mass closures as already many are
struggling to stay open, and that was before the Coronavirus
pandemic.
In the report published by the TUC, it reveals that nationally:-
• Nearly 4 in 10 key workers, that is an estimated 3.7 million
people, are paid less than ₤10 an hour, compared to 3 in 10
non-key workers.
• Women are much more likely than men to be key workers and,
when they are, are much more likely to be on low pay. Of an
estimated 9.8 million key workers, nearly ⅔
are women. And 2.5 million women key workers earn less than ₤10
an hour.
• In social care, 7 in 10 workers earn less than ₤10 an hour.
The TUC went on to say that:- "Many key workers are also
trapped in insecure work, without guaranteed hours and often
missing out on basic rights like sick pay. For example, 1 in 4
workers in adult social care, 1 of the sectors hit hardest by
the virus, are on zero hours contracts, which mean their hours
of work and pay packets, can vary significantly."
In recognition of the contribution of key workers during this
period, the TUC is calling on Government to:-
"1. Increase the minimum wage to ₤10 an hour for everyone now.
2. Deliver fair pay rises for our key workers and rewards for
workers across the economy that restore what they've lost
through 10 years of cuts and slow growth.
3. Ban zero-hours contracts and stamp out false self employment.
4. Increase sick pay to the real living wage and make sure
everyone can get it from day 1.
5. Bring outsourced workers like cleaners in the NHS back into
the public sector on public sector terms and conditions."
All sounds good, but as a small shop owner, who doesn't want to
be named, as they fear that it would upset their customers
said:- "Yes, we would love to pay more, but in reality, we
are only a very small family run shop, but paying more for staff
would push us in to bankruptcy. We fully agree that zero-hours
contracts should be made illegal. They are bad the call for more
money to paid out when many small businesses, who are trying to
do their best for employees, just when we can't afford it is a
step to far. Many small business owners, like us, pay staff more
than we take home and Trade Unions only seem to look at the big
businesses and not the bigger picture. If we close, 3 staff
members will loose their jobs. We are just hanging on in as it
is. Small businesses are already closing even before lockdown,
due to pay rises and other escalating costs. Even businesses
like ours, that provide essential goods and services over the
lockdown is struggling. We get no help from banks or Government,
no mater what they say in public. When will Trade Unions pick up
on this and push to support local shops and businesses, who pay
taxes and keep the many in the local community, and not pushing
it into the pockets of international companies, before calling
on wage increases? Our staffs are doing an amazing job and they
know we are doing our best, but realistically, we just can't
afford to pay any more. Also, will they call for London
weighting be removed if all the UK gets the same minimum wage? I
think not..."
TUC Regional Secretary Jay McKenna said:- "Everyone who's
kept Britain going through this pandemic deserves a pay rise.
Frontline workers are putting their own health on the line to
look after the rest of us. They're caring for the sick and
vulnerable, getting us to work, keeping our shelves stocked and
our vital services running. Now it's time for ministers to give
key workers a proper thank you. And that means getting money
into their pockets now. The Government must give all key workers
the pay, conditions and respect they deserve. That's how to
really thank the people who got us through this crisis."
What do you, our readers think about this? Should there be more
help to allow small businesses to pay more, like Tax Credits
where promoted as.
NHSBT reassures Liverpool
blood and platelet donors over appointment changes to enable
COVID-19 trial
NHS Blood and Transplant is reassuring
blood and platelet donors in Liverpool that they should not be
concerned if their appointment is cancelled over the next few
weeks. NHS Blood and Transplant is beginning to collect
convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19
to support a national clinical trial. To free up appointments in
donor centres, some blood and platelet donation appointments in
Liverpool are being cancelled and rescheduled. Donors can
be assured that blood and platelet stocks are good and there
will be no impact on supplies. The fantastic response of our
donors during the Coronavirus pandemic means blood and platelet
stocks are currently above average. Freeing up appointments will
enable more donations that could save the lives of critically
ill COVID-19 patients. Since the outbreak, we have seen drop in
demand for blood and platelet, as Hospitals cancel non-urgent
surgery, such as hip operations. This means there is enough
capacity to change blood and platelet donation appointments into
plasma donation appointments.
An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson said:- "We are
still collecting blood and platelet in Liverpool so please keep
making appointments to donate. Donation saves lives. This new
trial is part of the national research effort against the
Coronavirus and we hope people understand if we make any changes
to your appointment. If your appointment is cancelled until
another day it means we have good blood and platelet stocks, and
the appointment time can be used for someone to donate plasma to
a seriously ill COVID-19 patient."
The plasma trial will investigate whether transfusions of
antibody rich plasma from people who have recovered could help
people who are still unwell. Plasma will be mainly collected in
selected cities with blood donor centres.
"We would encourage any blood and platelet donors who have had
their appointment cancelled to re-book an appointment for a
future date at by calling:- 0300 123 23 23, visiting:-
www.Blood.Co.UK or using the NHSGiveBlood app."
commented the NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson.
Letter to
the Editor:- "An Open Letter To The People of the Liverpool
City Region."
"WHEN we were hit by
this appalling pandemic our everyday lives changed overnight. We
came home from work, went to bed and woke up to a different
world. All we now have is the neighbourhood we live in. Eerily
quiet with nothing to break the silence but the birds singing.
We have adapted quickly and now use our one piece of daily
exercise to walk to the local shop, ride our bikes with our kids
through the traffic free streets or jog around our lovely parks.
So what happens when we have beaten this pandemic? I will hug my
family and friends. I will go to the pub. I will also miss
walking through the peaceful clean air in my neighbourhood. Is
it inevitable that as businesses and workplaces reopen we must
once more fill our roads with pollution and make going for a
walk a hazardous occupation? If we just continue our 'business
as usual' before lockdown then we will do an injustice to many
of those vulnerable people who have had to self isolate. Our air
during 'normal' times is toxic. It causes and increases asthma
and other respiratory problems. Exactly the health issues that
make a person high risk to Covid-19. We have come together in an
amazing way to save thousands more lives. Yet for many years our
everyday choices have added to another invisible killer. Air
pollution leads to the early deaths of 40,000 people a year in
the UK not to mention nearly 30,000 killed or seriously injured
on the roads. Self isolation has been very hard for the mental
wellbeing of lots of us and yet dangerous, noisy roads have
created traumatic mental isolation for many people for decades.
I find it bewilderingly puzzling that we can change the way we
live in a heartbeat to help save lives and yet go on adding to
the cause of so many other deaths and health problems every day.
Electric cars are not the easy fix. They still need energy. They
still pollute and they still make roads feel unsafe. I believe
that now is the moment reflect. To change direction. Can we once
more have a vibrant economy across our Region with bustling
shops and bars and quiet, clean and safe neighbourhoods? Is it
possible or just a pipe dream? I know it is possible. I have
visited Waltham Forest where the community came together a few
years ago to create 'Quiet Neighbourhoods' where only people who
live there would want to drive there. It's easier to walk or
ride to the shops. People wander down the middle of the road
pushing prams and chatting. The local High Street didn't die
when they banned all traffic except the local bus. It
flourished. I took the train to the City of Ghent In Belgium. In
just 1 weekend they had done the same thing across an entire
City. The suburbs are now quiet and the booming City Centre
belongs to people. Not pipe dreams. Real places. Real Answers. 1
thing this terrible disease has shown is that we can change
dramatically if we want. I urge everyone; businesses,
communities and individuals to come together behind the growing
political commitment. Let's have a healthy, quiet revolution
across the Liverpool City Region. Let's keep walking, keep
riding. Let's walk up the middle of the street, listening to the
birdsong on the way to the pub." Yours, Simon O'Brien,
Cycling and Walking Commissioner.
Total UK cases
COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region and
surroundings
AS the speculation grows on when will we
come out of lockdown and how, the total number of UK
lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases now stands at 171,253, confirmed by
a Public Health or NHS laboratory. The rise of 6,032 to the
national number includes tests carried out by commercial
partners which are not included in the 4 National (England,
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.) Sadly, COVID-19 infection
fatalities have again risen by 674, with the overall number now
at 26,771. In England, the number of confirmed cases now stands
at 118,343. In the North West, 18,523 confirmed cases have been
reported. Current Hospital Laboratory confirmed cases within the
following Local Authorities, in and around the Liverpool City
Region are as follows:-
► Liverpool, 1,392 confirmed cases.
► Sefton, 789 confirmed cases.
► Wirral, 990 confirmed cases.
► St. Helens, 634 confirmed cases.
► Halton, 312 confirmed cases.
► Lancashire, 2,736 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire West and Chester, 777 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire East, 851 confirmed cases.
► Manchester, 1,060 confirmed cases.
► Stockport, 808 confirmed cases.
► Trafford, 584 confirmed cases.
► Wigan, 642 confirmed cases.
► Bolton, 739 confirmed cases.
► Rochdale, 434 confirmed cases.
► Bury, 457 confirmed cases.
► Tameside, 451 confirmed cases.
► Oldham, 594 confirmed cases.
► Blackburn with Darwen, 306 confirmed cases.
These stats are according to Public Health England as of
30/04/2020. Last updated 6.04pm GMT.
UK total includes cases detected through:- "Pillar 2" testing
(tests carried out by commercial partners) and therefore does
not equate to the sum of the 4 countries' counts, which only
include:- "Pillar 1" (tests carried out by NHS / PHE / Devolved
Administration Labs).
UK Government Coronavirus Press
Conference on 30 April 2020 & UK .Gov Info-Video