Burnham: It’s time for a VOLUNTARY return to the office
MAYOR SLAMS GOVERNMENT OVER ‘THREAT’ TO MAKE WORKERS GO BACK
ANDY Burnham has called for a ‘voluntary’ return to offices as he pledges to do the same after spending five months working from home.
The mayor of Greater Manchester hit out at the government after they were accused of ‘threatening’ people to go back to the office as the economy continues to experience the fallout from the coronavirus lockdown.
He says our region will take a ‘different approach’ and will work towards a ‘safety-led’ and ‘voluntary’ return to the office.
Mr Burnham said he will return to work in his Manchester office.
He said he will also be joined by about 30 per cent of staff who work for Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
In a blog post, Mr Burnham said: “I had my head in my hands last Friday when I saw the headline: ‘Go back to work or risk losing your job’.
“I agree with the government that it’s important for people to begin to return to the office to support our city and town centres. But ordering people back and stoking up the fear factor is the wrong way to go about it.
“Apart from the extra anxiety it may cause to those already worried about redundancy, it risks an unplanned rush back to work for which we don’t have capacity on public transport. If our trams and buses end up overcrowded and unsafe, it won’t build the confidence on which any recovery will have to be based.
“So, in Greater Manchester, we will be taking a different approach. “Starting this week, I will be leading the call for a safety-led, voluntary return to the office for those ready to do so. “Having spent the last five months working from home, I will return to the office myself for the first time in five months and, in so doing, hopefully set a lead others might follow.
“It’s important because we all need to play our part in helping our city recover.”
Mr Burnham said he shared concerns about the impact the
lockdown has had on city centres. He continued: “Where I agree with the government is with their concern for city centres. They are right to challenge organisations abandoning offices for the foreseeable future. Cities are the engines of our economy.
“It is crucial that we bring them back to life and support businesses based there. But we are more likely to succeed if we do it in a gradual, careful, positive way.
“There will be some who’ll no doubt say this is irresponsible given the challenges that Greater Manchester is still experiencing with the virus. Others will claim it is contradictory, given the restrictions on home gatherings still in place. I don’t believe it is. The office is a more regulated environment than the home and it is our hope that the measures will be lifted everywhere soon.”