UK COVID-19 inquiry|2 Mar 2026

Union Representatives. Panel.

Introduction

The four witnesses are;

1. Dan Shears. National Health, Safety & Environment Director at the GMB with 560,000 members within retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National Health Service (NHS), ambulance service and local government.

2. Mike Short. Head of education at UNISON, the UK's largest union, which represents public service workers and has 1.3 million members.

3. Joanne Thomas. General secretary, USDAW. Union for retail workers have 360,000 members.

4. John Leach. Senior Assistant General Secretary RMT. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers with 83,000 members.

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Testimony highlights

• ‘Proper ventilation’ meant freezing cold classrooms.

‘‘The second lockdown..it was winter it was VERY COLD…that makes the classroom EXTREMELY COLD.’’

-Mike Short

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Shop workers

• ‘Challenging problems’ implementing IPC guidance.

• No hand santiser or PPE. Delays implementing perspex screens.

• Problems with customer mask exemptions.

• Customers fighting.

• Mask compliance.

‘‘I remember one scenario where a shop worker had to intervene in a FIGHT in a shop because two customers were arguing over stock and one of them wasn’t social distancing.’’

‘‘HUNDREDS of times a week these scenarios were happening.’’

‘‘I’d hear this all the time when customers asked a question they would pull their mask down to ask the question in the shop workers face invading that social distancing guideline which put shop workers directly at risk.’’

-Joanne Thomas

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Statement highlights

Riddor recorded COVID-19 deaths vs ONS-Paragraphs 18-19

LESSONS LEARNED

‘‘Schools should not be fully reopened until properly functioning TTI test, trace, isolate) systems have been established, with a sufficient supply of tests to enable mass free testing.’’

-Paragraph 225

‘‘Greater powers for health and safety reps and permanent sector-wide health and safety fora.’’

-Paragraph 231 (a)

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First-hand accounts from workers across the United Kingdom provided to the TUC, setting out their personal experiences can be read from paragraph 232

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Thanks for your attention.

All feedback welcome.

End