Back acknowledged that the early days of the pandemic were marked by great uncertainty and that it was important to allow for quick decisions and actions across all areas of daily life. Nevertheless, even after the official state of emergency came to an end, the government has continued to deny employees their rightful say in the decision-making process, Back lamented: “Even if the pandemic continues to alter our lives, it remains important that due process and employee rights are respected. People need to understand the nature of the measures taken by the government, otherwise it becomes increasingly difficult for them to respect them.”
The Chamber of Employees organised an enquiry into national working conditions and conducted a representative study, which indicated that the quality of employment declined last year. The most notable decrease occurred for those unable to work remotely from home. The complete results of the study are set to be published next week.
Back also talked about the need for tax reforms, an essential tool in the fight against growing inequalities. Simultaneously, she issued a warning over the financial repercussions resulting from the pandemic, the dimensions of which are yet to be clearly determined: “The wealthy will have to do their part, we cannot require the middle class to carry our debts. We have already put forward several proposals in that regard.”
Similarly, the housing sector continues to pose problems, Back stated in her New Year’s address. Even though there are a few constructive proposals on the table, she believes that fundamental changes need to be introduced to create a long-term solution.
