Whatever happened to free market solutions? Since the dark days of Thatcherism, we have been told that the state is inefficient and things should be left to the free market. Yet here we are in the middle of the coronavirus crisis and free market solutions are nowhere to be seen. Instead, it has been the state that has been forced to step in and prevent the economy and society from collapsing amid the chaos of an out of control pandemic.
Our dispute against YPP Lettings has been closed after the tenant accepted an improved offer, a reduction in rent of 22% (or £660). The letting agency made an offer before any direct action was needed, although we had declared our intent to undertake such action.
Liverpool Solidarity Federation was contacted by a tenant of Gravity Residence. Due to the pandemic she had to move back to her family home, leaving behind all her belongings in the apartment. Since then, she had tried to reach a sensible agreement with YPP to finish her tenancy earlier. The YPP position was unreasonable, they offered a shameful 5% deduction from her total amount if she paid all the amount by the beginning of April.
A week after the closure of all hospitality business, the workers of Pub Invest Group from Liverpool got bad news.
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, they were not able to give any hours to their workers as they don’t have the resources to cover their staff wages. They did, however, wish best luck to all their workforce and to see them back soon when they open again.
Pub Invest Groups owns some of the most popular night pubs in the central area of Liverpool such as Einsteins, Moloko or McCooley’s. As it is common in the hospitality industry, they show their appreciation for their staff with low-pay and job insecurity.
During the Coronavirus crisis we are having the chance of seen this in many places. Although the Government is offering the coverage of wages through the Job Retention Scheme, some employers just prefer to get rid of people.
Abusive men are using coronavirus as an excuse for domestic violence, campaigners have warned, as horrifying new figures reveal men are killing women and girls at a rate of almost one a day since the lockdown began. This represents a doubling of the average rate of deaths and highlights the extreme danger faced by women and girls trapped in the same house as violent partners and other male relatives.
We have received enquires from agency workers asking whose responsibility is it to provide them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), is it the employment agency or the end-user? Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, the employment agency is responsible for ensuring any necessary PPE is provided to agency workers.
People receiving benefits do not have to attend Jobcentre appointments for at least 3 months, starting from Thursday the 19th of March 2020. People will continue to receive their benefits as normal, but all requirements to attend the Jobcentre in person are suspended. People can still make applications for benefits online if they are eligible.
The government has banned any eviction in social or private accommodation while the coronavirus crisis is taking place. The government will be legislating urgently to ban landlords to start any eviction procedure in the upcoming three-month period.
The current coronavirus crisis is putting workers at risk, both financially and in terms of their health and wellbeing. We need to do all we can to protect ourselves in this crisis, and we have set out below the areas of employment law that we feel are most relevant. In doing so, we hope it will be an aid for workers in getting organised in order to defend themselves and staying safe during the pandemic.
If you need to stay at home because you, or someone you live with, have coronavirus symptoms, you could be eligible to Statutory Sick Pay from day one. Employers should be flexible regarding medical evidence as in some cases you will be asked to self-isolate for up to 14 days. If your workplace closes due to coronavirus, under the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme you will receive 80% of wages up to £2,500 per month.
Below we have prepared some information about your rights during the coronavirus pandemic as well as mutual aid groups that have emerged to help people with self-isolation.
If you have any trouble with these rights and want support, then please get in touch. Rights are the bare minimum, and some workers or tenants might want to take the initiative in responding to this crisis themselves, we are happy to help with this as well. At SolFed we aren’t lawyers or representatives, but we are happy to take direct action to help each other out in our struggles.
