Union demands for the government to meet key tests for safe work

A number of unions have laid down key tests they say must be met before workplaces reopen. For example, in December 2020, the NEU teachers’ union warned it had been more than six months since it outlined five tests for COVID-19 safety in schools. This included comprehensive access to regular testing for children and staff to stop schools and colleges becoming COVID-19 hot spots. It said the measure “should have been implemented earlier, before secondary school students became one of the motors of the second wave”.

Unions organising in further and higher education set out similar tests for colleges and universities.

And the PCS public and commercial services union also laid down tests for safe working. These can be found on its web page, The PCS 5 tests for safe working.