Responding to the Welsh Government announcement that pubs, cafes and restaurants with existing outdoor seating areas can begin to re-open from 13 July, Wales TUC General Secretary Shavanah Taj said:
“We welcome the Welsh Government’s cautious approach to beginning a gradual and slow reopening of this sector that employs many people, including young workers. Our position remains clear – workers’ health and safety is paramount. A worker’s health cannot be put above a company’s profits. We need to do all we can to keep this sector alive and to keep jobs secure, particularly in light of the rise in the number of redundancies being announced in the wider hospitality sector.
We will continue to work in social partnership with Welsh Government, employers and industry to keep people safe at work. We need to ensure that all health and safety measures are properly adhered to and enforced, through Covid-19 health and safety workplace assessments. We will continue pushing for bosses to pay proper sick pay should a worker need to self- isolate, as Statutory Sick Pay of £95 a week is not a viable option, particularly in an industry where low pay remains a real problem.”
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