The recent emergence of the Omicron COVID variant and considering increasing Covid cases in schools, some of the joint education unions have been discussing how to highlight concerns and keep pressure on the government to introduce mitigations in schools to protect education and health. ONS data is now showing school age children have the highest infection rates and that education staff are more at risk of catching Covid than the general population.
Unison together with some of the other trade union partners working education is planning a joint campaign “Online Day of Action” on 09 December to highlight the risks and focus the Government to take additional measures in schools and reduce the educational disruption being caused by the unmitigated spread of Covid in schools, especially with the emergence of new variants.
UNISON is asking schools members, parents, staff, pupils, and politicians, to post pictures on social media, holding handmade signs or the template poster that can be downloaded below: with the #ProtectPupils #ProtectEducation, these can be posted on the UNISON Action website, groups can also tweet and email their local MP and further publicise this event on social media accounts.
The online day of action on 09 December hopes to highlight 3 concerns for the Government to act on and bring back mitigations in schools (to back up the vaccine rollout) at a national level:
- Face masks in secondary schools
- HEPA filters for ‘all’ schools
- Very close contacts to isolate pending a negative PCR test, as they are instructed in the devolved nations.
If you are interested in taking part, please visit the webpage for the online day of action, which is now live at UNISON Action.
UNISON would also ask members to support the online campaign and spread the word on social media accounts https://twitter.com/UNISONinSchools/status/1466812977164738573 by sending to local campaign groups, local MPs, County and Borough Councillors for your area, and support and promote the campaign to keep our schools safe, #ProtectPupils #Protect Education.
Template poster: