Workers to get five days’ leave to care for sick child or relative

Christ I know this is Current Affairs but still you think there be a line for a comment like this. Try watching your mother gasp for breath because there is fluid in there lungs and need constant oxygen

The 5 days unpaid should be available to all staff, whether they have sick children, relatives, pets, items requiring repair etc as the reason they need the time off.

You chose a stupid example to bring up something that wasn’t even relevant. The argument you’re trying for is normally introduced in the context of parental leave, ie - families with children. It’s proponents argue that the same leave should apply to employees who don’t have children, but that argument ignores the purpose for the leave.

In this case your argument doesn’t apply because the leave already would apply to all employees regardless of whether or not they have children. It’s similar to the Family and Medical Leave which already exists in the US:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_and_Medical_Leave_Act_of_1993

Unpaid leave to fix your choo-choo offers no benefit whatsoever to society as a whole.

5 isn't a lot, a sick child will easily cover that in the Winter, especially when they first start in childcare. I'm in Germany and I get 10 per child per annum, partner gets the same. We needed the most of those when our kids were young.