This is very simple. We need extreme weather legislation to protect workers. We do not have it now and the result is workers' lives and health are put at risk. One worker responded to the Unite survey about how their employer acted during Storm Éowyn stating: The company were more interested in production than employees' safety. Because there is no clear legislation around extreme weather events, it is left to employers' discretion to do what they want. Unfortunately, employers only concern is profit so they will choose to ignore weather warnings if it suits their agenda. This is going to be an issue more and more. It is an issue now and will be an issue tomorrow. Tragically, it was an issue for Matthew Campbell, an electrician who was killed in 2018 while working in a forest during Storm Ali. His dad Mark told us at a press event last week that his son would be alive today if legislation like Unite is seeking had been in place then in the North. I hope no more workers have to die on this island before we have workers' rights legislation to protect people from extreme weather events to ensure their employers cannot put their lives at risk in order to maximise their own profits.

Sentiment score: 0.06

The Minister of State is satisfied that strong protections already exist. He should look at the evidence. Unite carried out a survey. Is the Minister of State satisfied about the 48% of workers who went to work during Storm Éowyn who said they did not feel safe? Is he satisfied that 53% of those who worked outdoors during the storm felt their employer had not taken all reasonable precautions to make their work safe? These are unionised workers. That means it will be a lot worse for non-unionised workers. If the Government does not give people legal protections, it is leaving them prey for their employers to put pressure on them to make them work in unsafe conditions. We need a legal obligation on employers to have graduated alert-based responses. We need a legal requirement that, where work is required to cease, workers are paid as usual. We need paid climate leave, maximum temperatures at work and recognition of temperature-related illness as occupational disease.

Sentiment score: 0.04