ETUC on the EU Occupational Safety and Health strategy in light of Covid-19

Health workers protective equipment COVID-19

(17 December 2020) Workers’ health and safety suffers during this pandemic. Trade unions have been the main defenders for workers as employers and often governments were absent as the pandemic hit workplaces. Europe’s unions have come together and issued demands on the European Commission. The Commission is preparing a new EU Occupational safety and health strategy. We want to see the issues raised by COVID-19 covered.  This include amongst others to be clear that workers have the right to withdraw their labour if employers do not take the necessary measures to protect them. ETUC demands that COVID-19 is recognized as an occupational disease for workers who are exposed to infection without adequate protection. 

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