There is a new blog on the Fórsa website, in which general secretary Kevin Callinan argues that, in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 public health crisis, debt reduction must take second place to economic recovery, jobs and investment in quality public services. Read more here.

The Daa has informed staff that it may need up to 1,000 voluntary redundancies and other cost reductions because of the collapse in passenger numbers at Irish airports due to the Covid-19 virus. In a memo to staff, chief executive Dalton Philips said that, with passenger numbers down by 99%, the outlook for the rest of the year is "bleak". Our own Bernard Harbor was on last night's Six One to discuss. 

The Times reports that Government is facing pressure from trade unions to put in place a compensation package to support more than 7,600 healthcare workers who have contracted Covid-19. Our own Eamonn Donnelly was interviewed for the piece. Read more here.

Ireland will continue in the acute emergency phase of the Covid-19 crisis for "most probably years", with "further waves an ever-present danger," according to the Secretary General of the Department of Health.

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has suggested employers consider a four-day working week and other flexible working options as a way to boost tourism and help employees address persistent work/life balance issues. Read more here.

Meat Industry Ireland has insisted that it is doing all it can to deal with Covid-19 outbreaks in meat plants. The body, representing meat processors, issued the response after health authorities confirmed last night that there were a further 328 cases of the virus confirmed in meat plants in the last week. There has been a total of 828 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the meat industry to date.

ICTU general secretary Patricia King says that she is not comforted by the number of health and safety inspectors available to ensure adherence to Covid-19 guidelines. Speaking to the Special Committee on Covid-19 in the Dáil yesterday, Patricia King said that she did not believe that the 67 field investigators currently on staff at the Health and Safety Authority was enough, and that a lack of investigators would endanger workers.

Elsewhere, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has written an unprecedented letter to the people of Kerry apologising for what has unfolded at the controversial direct provision centre in Cahirciveen. The centre, which opened unexpectedly on March 18, has been mired in controversy following an oubreak of the coronavirus in mid-April. At the latest count, 25 people in the hotel, including three staff, had been infected with the virus. 

The Indo reports that publishers of three newspapers have joined together with the National Union of Journalists to stand up for reporters and press freedom in Northern Ireland.The joint initiative aims to highlight and challenge the increasing number of threats of violence against the media. Earlier this month, it emerged loyalist paramilitaries had issued threats against journalists at the 'Sunday Life' and 'Sunday World' newspapers.

The Beatles bring us our zen this morning. On this day in 1968 the band, armed with a bunch of new songs after their visit to India, met at George Harrison's home. They taped 23 new songs on George's 4-track recorder, many of which would end up on The Beatles' next two albums. Here’s ‘Blackbird’, one of my favourites from that recording session.