Following the Chancellor’s statement yesterday on urgent measures to protect businesses and working people, the TUC is today (Wednesday) calling on the government to follow other countries with urgent use of wage subsidies to protect working families and save jobs.
A new TUC report (linked to below) sets out proposals that will build on the Chancellor’s announcements to protect business and the economy by guaranteeing all families an income and protecting jobs from being lost.
These additional measures will also help slow down the spread of the infection by ensuring people can afford social distancing and self-isolation. And they will help ensure that the UK economy retains the capacity to quickly bounce back.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“The Chancellor’s announcements so far will help protect businesses. But he must now urgently step up the protections that workers need too.
“Many other counties are using government wage subsidies to stop job losses and keep up economic activity. We need it too.
“And government support to businesses must be conditional on them producing a plan to protect jobs and wages.
“Unions and business want to fully play their part in protecting the nation. The government must urgently bring them together a national taskforce, so we can put these measures into action in the best way for working people and our economy.”
The TUC’s report sets out five actions urgently needed to build on the Chancellor’s recent announcements and minimise the impact of the virus on workers, the economy and public health:
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