Budget 2021: lack of action on sick pay & key worker wages 'abrogation of duty'

Posted by GMB Admin
Wednesday 3 March 2021
GMB Trade Union - Budget 2021: lack of action on sick pay & key worker wages 'abrogation of duty'

Workers in critical industries such as social care, aviation, cash and transit crying out for support

Workers in critical industries such as social care, aviation, cash and transit were crying out for the specific support and investment that they desperately need

GMB, Britain’s general union with more the 600,000 members, has criticised the budget for ignoring key worker wages, ‘poverty’ sick pay and ignoring critical industries desperate for support. 

Warren Kenny, GMB Acting General Secretary, said: 

“Warm words don’t pay the bills. The Chancellor might get some likes on Instagram, but he won’t be getting any love from public service workers who will feel like this Budget is a kick in the teeth after everything they’ve done for the country throughout this pandemic.  

“Not a penny extra will go to the pockets of our key workers, it’s a national scandal. 

"The lack of action on the super spreader policy of poverty Statutory Sick Pay rates is simply an abrogation of duty.  

“You can’t talk about helping the poorest and leave this unchanged. Those who can’t afford to self-isolate and pay the bills won’t do so, they will feel they have no choice but to risk going to work rather than get into debt.  

“We keep being told we’re not out of the woods yet - I agree - so it’s shocking that this Budget did nothing to address this. 

Not a penny extra will go to the pockets of our key workers, it’s a national scandal. The lack of action on the super spreader policy of poverty Statutory Sick Pay rates is simply an abrogation of duty.  

Warren Kenny, GMB Acting General Secretary

"Once again, workers in critical industries such as social care, aviation, cash and transit were crying out for the specific support and investment that they desperately need. 

“Once again, all this Government could offer was platitudes and a failure of leadership." 

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