‘We will not forget their sacrifice’

Workers Uniting, the transnational union representing over 3m workers across the UK, Ireland, United States, Canada and Mexico, pays tribute and stands in solidarity on this International Workers Day with our thousands of health care workers on the front line of the battle against Covid-19.

Workers Uniting salutes the great sacrifice and selfless dedication of all our health and care workers – from those working in hospitals to those in the community, social care, assisted living facilities and nursing homes – in the face of this unprecedented crisis.

It has been a deep scandal that many of these workers have been left without protection, have had to use insufficient safety equipment and procedures or have had to re-use their personal protective equipment (PPE), putting their own lives at great risk whilst caring for the loved ones of others.

We collectively reiterate the demands of our respective unions – the United Steelworkers (USW), Unite the Union and Los Mineros – that adequate PPE is provided to protect the lives of all health care works, that PPE is not used as a political football by our governments and that no worker should be working in conditions that risk their health and safety.

Workers Uniting is also concerned for the long term mental health effects on our health care workers post crisis with predictions of high cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. We call on our governments and legislators to ensure that that there is sufficient accessible mental health and wellbeing provisions for all health care workers in the years to come.

Workers Uniting pays tribute to all our members who lost their lives while protecting us from this terrible virus, and we will not forget their sacrifice. We join our trade union colleagues from across the world in demanding that governments have a moral responsibility to take care of these key workers post crisis and ensure that they are adequately prepared for any future pandemic events.

Unite’s health team are very pleased for the solidarity and support Workers Uniting has given. In response they said, “The challenges facing our health sector workers globally throughout this crisis are very similar. We are working with our brothers and sisters in Workers Uniting not just in solidarity but to highlight the importance of taking care of these workers post crisis, and to campaign to ensure that never again should they face the dangers they have endured as a direct consequence of cuts and underfunding.”

By UNITElive team @unitetheunion