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Coronoavirus

Coronavirus - protecting workers

The coronavirus pandemic poses huge risks to workers’ health, jobs and livelihoods. Unions stand ready to work with government to do everything we can to protect health, jobs, and livelihoods.
Our objectives

We believe that government must:

  1. ensure that business support measures are conditional on support for jobs. This can’t just be a bailout for boardrooms.
  2. fix the sick pay system to provide better sick pay for all.
  3. introduce targeted support for parents who need to take time out of work to care for kids
  4. provide more help to families – and a stimulus to the economy
  5. bring together a taskforce of unions and employers to help co-ordinate the national effort. 

Take a look at A better normal - delivering better work now, A new jobs protection and upskilling plan, A better recovery- plan to get Britain growing out of the crisis,  our proposals on ensuring a safe return to work, 

Are you a rep? Here's latest coronavirus guidance for rep 

Across the board many industries and those working within them are going to be impacted by the coronavirus, and necessary measures taken to reduce its spread. Jobs and livelihoods are at serious risk, and without unprecedented government action, the consequences could last well beyond the immediate nature of the virus.

Support this campaign
Tell your MP
Tell your MP key workers deserve a pay rise
It’s time to end the low pay and insecure work that leave many key workers struggling. Let's make sure every key worker gets a payrise.
Sign petition
Guarantee sick pay for every worker
Nearly 2 million UK workers do not qualify for statutory sick pay
Sign petition
Force companies to publish their Covid safety plans
Bad employers shouldn't get away with hiding their coronavirus risk assessments from staff 
Other ways you can help
We need support for parents
What’s happening where you work
Related themes
Our campaigns
Latest posts
Treatment of Black workers since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns
Has your employer taken additional action to protect your health, safety and well-being, has your job and working conditions improved or worsened or have they taken action to tackle institutional raci
News Article - 21 Feb 2023
TUC calls on ministers to recognise Long Covid as a disability
The TUC is calling on government to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease. This would entitle employees to protection and compensation if they contracted the virus while working.
Press Release - 07 Jul 2022
Workers with Long Covid need support
Long Covid is a key issue for working age people and our key workers, but the government and employers are still not taking this issue seriously.
Alice Arkwright - 10 May 2022
More posts
Related reports
Austerity and the pandemic
To be prepared for a pandemic, a nation must have resilient health services. Those services must have sufficient staff and resources so that they can flex to meet emergency needs. And they must have r
- 05 Jun 2023
Workers' experience of Long Covid
This report is vital to draw attention to people who have fallen out of work, are underemployed, struggling to remain in or return to work because of the virus. If we do not take urgent action to ensu
- 27 Mar 2023
Covid-19: An Occupational Disease
A TUC report to call the recognition of COVID-19 as an occupational disease, which would formally recognise the higher risk in certain jobs, and signify a need for greater support for affected workers
- 15 Aug 2022
More reports
Campaign resources
Long COVID
New guide for workplace reps on long covid.
Coronavirus - Help for union reps
Our latest guides to support reps in understanding the current situation and being effective at negotiating with employers to protect the workforce.
Covid-19 Coronavirus - Guidance for unions (updated 04 Jan 2021)
This guide is for trade union reps, designed to give you an understanding of the workplace issues in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to provide support in being effective at negotiating with employers steps that can be taken to best protect the health and safety of the workforce.
Face coverings in the workplace
This guide explains why face coverings are used, the difference between face coverings and masks, what the recommended standards are and what union reps can do to support members.
Domestic abuse and coronavirus - how you can help
This guide will help you develop the awareness and skills to give the best support and advice you can to someone who may be in danger.
Covid-19 – How unions can help support bereaved workers
There’s a lot trade unions can do to support people who are grieving, as well as to remember those we have tragically lost to coronavirus.
10 things trade union members can do NOW to organise on coronavirus at work
How to organise for better terms and conditions during the coronavirus crisis.
Other campaigns
workers
Guarantee decent sick pay for every worker #SickPayForAll
At a time of skyrocketing cases, fixing statutory sick pay can prevent the spread of the virus and ensure millions can get paid to quarantine safely at home. Everyone has the right to decent sick pay.
Commuters
We need decent pay and secure work for key workers
TUC campaign: We need the government to raise the minimum wage, give public sector workers a real payrise, and ban the zero hours contracts that keep workers poor.
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