Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Member of Parliament for Streatham has raised concerns over the Government’s announcement yesterday, which seemed to signal the end of its coronavirus lockdown policy.
Her criticism comes on the same day the ONS releases occupational statistics revealing the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on those in working class occupations.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Member of Parliament for Streatham, said:
“Last night’s announcement from the Prime Minister was dangerously confused but one thing was plainly evident: the Government has chosen to give employers, not employees, the power to decide when it’s safe to go back to work.
“We need to be clear about who is going to be worst affected as a result of this muddled messaging. Overwhelmingly, the people who are being forced to put their health at risk in a premature return to work are in working-class manual jobs. These workers can’t do their jobs from home and were already disproportionately infected and affected by coronavirus – as today’s occupational ONS data shows.
“We’re back in the all-too familiar situation where people are being asked to choose to safeguard their health or experience financial hardship. Without binding commitments on employers and clear workplace enforcement measures, workers are forced to rely on the good will of their employers or face losing their jobs.
“I’d point out two things to any workers in Streatham who feel unsafe. Firstly, it’s your right to challenge an unsafe workplace under Section 44 of the 1996 Employment Act. Secondly, joining a union before your return to work will mean you can draw on their support as well.”
For further information about this press release, please contact Ollie Collard, Communications Officer, Office of Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP at oliver.collard@parliament.uk or on 07918110617.
Notes:
- ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) related deaths by occupation, England and Wales: deaths registered up to and including 20 April 2020’, Office of National Statistics,
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19relateddeathsbyoccupationenglandandwales/deathsregistereduptoandincluding20april2020