'Workers must not pay the price'- Calls for paid 'climate leave' amid new 'startling figures'

Trade union Unite has recently called for paid 'climate leave' for workers during major storms and bad weather conditions in Ireland following a survey.

Unite is seeking a package of ‘Extreme Weather’ measure to protect workers from the impact of such events.

Unite’s proposals includes an obligation on employers to conduct risk assessments during extreme weather events, cease all routine outdoor work during orange alerts and cease all non-essential work during red alerts, with workers continuing to be paid during such closures.

The union is also proposing four days’ paid climate leave, similar to that introduced in Spain following last year’s devastating Valencia floods, if conditions render travel hazardous or workers need to address pressing domestic needs resulting from extreme weather, according to a press release.

On International Workers’ Memorial Day: New survey highlights need for ‘Extreme Weather’ legislation.
Unite proposals include alert-dependent mandatory closures and ‘climate leave’
Read here: https://t.co/N2bIO7MXwP
Time to climate-proof health and safety legislation#IWMD2025 pic.twitter.com/Ch606TIxwe

— UNITE union Ireland (@UniteunionROI) April 28, 2025

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our survey exposes that many workers felt unsafe working and travelling during Storm Eowyn, while some employers even attempted to shift the financial cost of closure onto workers by insisting, they take a day’s leave.

“On International Workers’ Memorial Day, we are demanding that the government climate-proof health and safety laws to ensure that workers’ lives and incomes are protected during extreme weather.”

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Tom Fitzgerald, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer told NewsTalk, "we've conducted a survey of almost 600 of our members North and South...we found some startling figures."

"A lot of workers felt unsafe in the recent storm in January and in particular felt under pressure to use up annual leave or take unpaid leave," Fitzgerald added.

Of the 1,225 Unite members from across Northern Ireland who took part in the survey, 59% still had to work on the day of Storm Ali.

Only 23% said they felt safe and 66% said they did not consider their employer had taken all reasonable precautions.

"There should be paid leave for workers in circumstances where they can't get to work safely....or paid leave for workers who have to take time off to address damage done by storm conditions," he told NewsTalk.

Unite’s Irish secretary Susan Fitzgerald said: “Accelerating climate change means that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are set to increase. Workers must not be made to pay the price – in terms of their safety, health and livelihoods – for a climate crisis not of their making”.