Nightmare of pandemic must not be repeated, says Highland trade unionist on International Workers' Memorial Day
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The nightmare of the coronavirus pandemic must not repeated, an NHS Highland worker and trade unionist has declared.
GMB representative Sean Robertson made the call during an International Workers' Memorial Day ceremony in Inverness to honour those who have died at work, or from work-related injury and diseases.
The gathering, which included trade unionists, politicians and others, was held at the workers' memorial by the River Ness and this year focused on health, social care and other key workers who died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Robertson said long covid continued to wreak havoc on the NHS workforce with up to 10,000 staff off work with the condition earlier this year at a time when the service was under strain.
"We need to put enough investment into areas where we have frontline workers, who are essential workers, to be able to carry out their jobs effectively and safely," he said.
"In the past it hasn't been good enough and people have died."
He said at the height of the first wave of covid-19 in Scotland, PPE stocks ran so low there was less than a day's supply of protective gowns and only 24 hours' worth of hospital grade masks left.
Mr Robertson said key workers had been hailed as heroes during the pandemic.
"In the memory of those key workers who died unnecessarily during the past three years, let's fight to ensure that as a society we do everything we can to learn the lessons of covid so that in future, history isn't repeated," he said.
Explained: The Inverness memorial honouring workers who have died doing their job
Dan Thompson, organiser for the north east of Scotland for the teachers' union EIS, spoke about the contribution of teachers during the pandemic.
Talking about safety in the work place, he said an injury to one worker was an injury to all.
"We must maintain safe work places," he said.
Other speakers included Inverness MP Drew Hendry and Robbie McIlraith, Highland branch secretary for the Communications Workers' Union.
Wreaths were placed on the memorial on behalf of trade unions and the Inverness and District Trade Union Council.
