PREVENTING future pandemics means Labour’s public-sector pay rises must not be a “one off,” the TUC said today.

The union federation issued the warning as bereaved families vowed to continue their fight for justice after the Covid-19 inquiry came to an end.

Unions also need a seat at the table in future pandemic planning to ensure proper workplace safety protections are in place — and to prevent the spread of infection in workplaces and wider society, it said.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “We owe it to those who lost their lives — and to those workers who put their lives at risk — to make sure we are prepared for future pandemics.  

“That means giving trade unions a seat at the table in pandemic planning — and adopting a social partnership approach by bringing unions, employers and government together to keep workers safe.          

“And it means sustained investment in our public services to make sure they are resilient enough to cope with another pandemic.  

“The Conservatives took a sledgehammer to our cherished public services, leaving the NHS on its knees and struggling to cope when Covid-19 hit.  

“The Labour government has rightly increased health and education funding and gave many public service workers their first proper pay rise in years. But this cannot be a one off.  

“Covid showed us strong public services — and a properly supported workforce — are vital for the nation’s health and resilience.” 

The TUC added that proper investment needs to go back into the Health and Safety Executive and reform of statutory sick pay would be essential in preventing the spread of future pandemics.  

Mr Nowak added: “The government also needs to address the structural inequalities and discrimination embedded in our labour market that put so many lives at risk.

“That means delivering the Employment Rights Act in full, including new laws to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts and give workers a right to a contract which reflects their regular hours.  

“From next month, workers will be able to get sick pay from day one. This is a game changer for millions of people up and down the country, and a positive first step towards building our resilience.”