Lockdown Leicester: notes from a pandemic Michael Barker First published in the UK, October 2, 2020 By Hextall Press, Evington, Leicester HEXTALL PRESS 2 Introduction “After weathering the initial onslaught of Covid-19, we can’t go back to normal. Normal is what led to this, and more of it means there will be more pandemics, and they could well be worse.” This is the measured conclusions of the influential scientific journalist, Debora MacKenzie, who is the author of the recent book The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened and How to Stop the Next One. Moving forward “We have to take the obvious preventive measures,” she says, to protect our society from future pandemics. But her conclusions fail to offer up solutions for how we might overcome the limitations of the old normal. Like the elephant in the room, missing from MacKenzie’s many recommendations is the most the obvious preventive measure, that is ensuring the thoroughgoing democratisation of political decision-making processes. A transformative action that can only be achieved by ordinary people rising- up and pushing forward a global transition to the type of socialist society whereby human needs direct political choices not the need to make profit.1 This perpetual fight for socialism is taking place in workplaces and communities across the world, and this book with its focus on Leicester, has been published as a small contribution towards building this struggle. Throughout the pandemic I have been writing for my blog (“Thoughts of a Leicester Socialist”), and the following text comprises all the posts that I wrote over a six-month period from mid-March onwards.2 When the pandemic began no one knew that Leicester would become the first city in the UK to re-enter lockdown in late June – and from that day right through to today (and no doubt much longer) people have been banned from meeting people from outside their own households in their own backyards. So, much of what I have written over the past months represents my own attempts to interpret these strange goings on – something that was aided by my scientific training and ongoing activism as a Union steward in a local college, and through my role as an Assistant Secretary of the Leicester and District Trades Union Council and as a member of Socialist Alternative. 1 For my review of MacKenzie’s book, see “The Pandemic That Never Should Have Happened and How to Stop the Next One: A Review,” International Socialist Alternative, July 29, 2020. 2 Other longer essays and book reviews that I wrote during the pandemic include: “COVID-19: How Big Pharma and Big Philanthropy Consume the World,” CounterPunch, April 16, 2020; “COVID-19 Planning: Is It Time to Nationalize Big Pharma?” CounterPunch, May 15, 2020; “Billionaires Are Not Our Friends: The Limits of Planet of the Humans,” Socialist Alternative (US), May 29, 2020; “Vaccines: Truth, Lies and Controversy: A Book Review,” Under the Mask of Philanthropy, July 20, 2020; “Understanding the Role of Right-wing Conspiracies in the Covid Pandemic,” Under the Mask of Philanthropy, September 27, 2020. 3 Most of the issues I have written about concern themselves with ongoing socialist struggles taking place in workplaces in Leicester and the surrounding area, especially those workplaces employing key workers. One case in point is the food manufacturing sector, and most particularly Samworth Brothers -- a Leicestershire-based company that is vigorously opposed to trade unions. Indeed, Samworth’s failure to listen to the concerns raised by their workers and trade unions mean this company should take some credit for Leicester’s lockdown predicament. One other exploitative food company that features heavily in this book is Greencore Food Group. And although Greencore does recognise a union at their nearby site in Northampton, their ongoing failure to put the rights of key workers before their profiteering highlights many of the types of problems faced by workers throughout this covid-nightmare. Another significant issue covered in this book involves coming to terms with our city’s ongoing sweatshop controversy. This is of course a longstanding concern, but one that once again came to the fore in recent months – with textile workers slaving away for billionaire-owned fast fashion company Boohoo. Unfortunately, this issue is far from resolved. And working with the aid of the Trades Council I am currently involved in building a campaign in the local community to organise workers to fight to end the scourge of sweated labour in a city that is dominated by Tory-lite Labour politicians. Likewise, efforts to fight for all key workers’ rights continues to this day, and will no doubt continue to rise in importance as the pandemic drags on. I only hope that this book will help inspire others to get involved in the fightback against the Tory’s pandemic chaos and enable us to usher in a new era of socialist politics. Michael Barker, October 4, 2020. 4 How Trade Unions Can Fight Coronavirus and Demand #SickPayForAll March 16 Many people’s lives are currently at risk, and in coming weeks and months the working-class will need to fight hard to demand that our bosses and our government act promptly and democratically to serve our collective interests and act to minimise the growing death toll. As we all know, it was bad enough before coronavirus struck — with all public services including our hospitals and schools already way past breaking point — which means that if we are serious about improving the lives of the vast majority of people in Britain, and across the world, we will need to organise determinedly to lay the ground work for building a socialist alterative to capitalism. In pursuing this vital task, trade Unions can and must play a central role in organising resistance to the dangerous ineptitude of the Tories. And so as a starting point the Trades Union Congress (TUC) — which to its eternal shame has yet to launch any form of meaningful resistance to the Tories anti-trade union laws – has at least produced a useful introductory “Covid-19: Guidance to unions” pamphlet which sets out some of the basics about Coronavirus and it how is transmission is intimately related to the fight for workplace rights. However, as should be expected in the fast-moving reporting on the science of the coronavirus pandemic, some of the information contained within the TUC guide is slightly out-of-date, which is why earlier today the TUC updated their message by producing a useful webinar resource which can viewed on YouTube. In their pamphlet the TUC observe that: “Following transmission, symptoms take an average of 5 days to begin – this differs to flu viruses which tend to incubate very quickly.” Hence this is the reason why handwashing is so very important in stopping the spread of the disease which is “air-borne and contracted by breathing in viral droplets, ejected during coughing, sneezing or even breathing.” The pamphlet however notes that: The virus cannot survive on non-living objects for more than a few hours.” This information has however now been updated, and in the TUC’s webinar the trade unionist commentator highlights how more recent research shows that the virus can live on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours. A point which again illustrates why cleanliness is so vital in limiting the spread of the coronavirus. On other issues the pamphlet remains spot on; and when it comes to the point of holding bosses to democratic scrutiny the TUC explains: 5 “Trade unions should ensure their employer has in place either a separate policy for dealing with COVID-19, or a general policy covering public health emergencies, major disasters or incidents. It should not be left to employers alone to decide on what is an appropriate response – unions must also be involved, as any effective policy must have the confidence of the whole workforce.” When it comes to hygiene the TUC add: “Many employers will plan to step up their cleaning regimes in the event of an outbreak. However, they should bear in mind that it is likely that the number of cleaning staff may be reduced as a result of illness. Damp rather than dry dusting should be carried out during a pandemic to avoid the generation of dust and it is recommended that the cleaning of surfaces be carried out using a freshly prepared solution of detergent and hot water followed, where necessary, by a chlorine based disinfectant solution.” Unfortunately owing to cost-cutting and years of austerity many cleaning services are now privatised and workers suffer under appalling conditions with few cleaners obtaining even basic entitlements like paid sick pay. Thus, relating to this point, the TUC make it clear: “Some workers, employed on zero hours contracts, may find they are not covered by an occupational sick pay scheme, nor Statutory Sick Pay [which is only £94 a week] if they find themselves unwell or must self-isolate. Employers should treat workers on these contracts like any other, and pay sick pay on the basis of a workers’ average hours – or, full pay in cases of isolation.” This is a critical demand that must be raised and fought for by the entire trade union movement. All workers must suffer no loss of pay if they have to self-isolate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus! This is the same now, as it should be even if there was no such thing as the coronavirus. Nevertheless, as a launching point for building a campaign to guarantee full pay for all workers (whatever their contracts) the TUC is asking trade unionists to sign their online petition: “#SickPayForAll: Guarantee decent sick pay for every worker.” Much more needs to be done to halt the spread of the coronavirus, but what is apparent is that the only people who will fight to represent ordinary people are the working-class themselves.