Minute's silence UK: What time is silence today and why is it being observed?
A MINUTE'S silence will be held today in honour of millions of individuals who died during the coronavirus pandemic, but what time will it take place and why exactly is it happening?
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A minute’s silence will be held in Britain today (April 28) in a bid to remember key workers who died during the coronavirus pandemic. The silence is being held amid calls from many trade unions and similar bodies for a public inquiry into the coronavirus crisis to ensure more lives are not lost.
What time is the minute’s silence today?
One minute of silence will be observed at 12pm across the nation today.
Several unions are expected to participate, with a live stream due to air from the Covid Memorial wall upon which around 150,000 red hearts have been painted.
For those in Scotland, the minute’s silence is due to take place at 11am at many public buildings including SSE Hydro and Edinburgh Castle.
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Why is the silence being held?
The silence is being held in honour of International Workers’ Memorial Day.
International Workers’ Memorial Day is held on April 28 and marks those people who die at work.
It is a day which officially remembers all those who lost their lives at work or from a work-related injury or disease.
The minute’s silence comes as unions call on the Government to set a date for a public inquiry into its handling of the Covid pandemic.
An estimated 15,000 people of working age have died from Covid in England and Wales since the pandemic began.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We’ll forever be in the debt of the workers who died during this pandemic – nurses, carers, bus drivers and so many more.
“They lost their lives looking after our loved ones and keeping our country running in the hardest of times.
“We owe it to them, and to their families, to get on with the public inquiry.
“The Prime Minister must announce a date when it will start.”
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Downing Street and Cabinet officials have repeatedly told bereaved families they intend to launch a public inquiry when the crisis has passed.
It has said there will be “an independent inquiry at the appropriate time”.
The Trade Union Congress is calling for an immediate inquiry, however, insisting it should be examined if workers are currently being kept safe enough or are still at risk.
In the inquiry, the TUC has established five priorities:
Workplace infection control, including financial support to self-isolate
Impact of a decade of spending cuts on the capacity of public services
Covid’s unequal impact on workers, particularly ethnic minorities and people in insecure jobs
Impact of employment support packages such as furlough; and government procurement
Effect on supplies of PPE.
For those wanting to take part, a live stream will air from the Covid Memorial Wall in London.
The event will be streamed here from 11.55am on April 28.
Deputy general secretary Paul Nowak will be joined by Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary and Christina McAnea, Unison general secretary with representatives of the Covid Bereaved Families For Justice Campaign at the Covid Memorial Wall in London.