Scots will not be ‘ intimidated’ back to the office, insists Sturgeon
● Johnson considers a ‘ back to work’ campaign to aid city centres
Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at UK government plans for a messaging blitz next week encouraging employees to return to offices by saying she would not “intimidate people back to work”.
Ministers are planning a newspaper and t el evi s i on campaign amid reports that those opting to keep working from home could make themselves “vulnerable” to redundancy in any post- Covid business shake- ups.
The announcement by coffee and sandwich chain Pret a Manger that it plans to axe 2,800 jobs from its shops due to trade slumping by about 60 per cent year- on- year has further fuelled Downing Street fears that town and city centres are becoming ghost areas as commuters stay away. But
the First Minister, speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing, said it was “not fair” to tell workers they are at a higher risk of redundancy if they do not return to offices.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I will not countenance in Scotland any kind of narrative around this that is seeking almost to i ntimidate people back t o work before as a country we have taken the decision that that is safe.
“People should not be told if you don’t get back to work in an office right now, if you are still working from home, you might be at greater risk of being made redundant or sacked, I don’t think that is the kind of approach we want to take here.
“Individuals and indeed businesses should have the right to expect to look to government for advice about what is safe to do and what timescale.
“We need to have a spirit to this where we are all tr ying to do the right things for the right reasons and if our guidance is still as it is work from home if that is possible then we are doing that for a reason and workers in that position should not feel that that is somehow making their job less secure.
“If you’re following guidance about working from home, that in and of itself should not be making your job less secure than it would otherwise be.
“I don’t want, in Scotland, campaigns that focus on that because I think that is putting pressure on individual workers that is not fair.”
Ms Sturgeon said discussions had taken place between economy secretary Fiona Hyslop and chambers of commerce examining the potential of a “phased return” for office workers.
She refused to be drawn on details but said such a return could follow a similar pattern to the construction industry.
She added there was still “too high a risk” of the transmission of Covid- 19 within offices to allow for a quick change in policy.
The First Minister said:
“What I would say is firstly these will be decisions for the Scottish Government to take as part of our route map out of lockdown. I think there is an opportunity for all of us to decide what we want normal to look like in the future.
“I think flexibility in how people work and allowing people to strike better work/ life balances, we s hould perhaps think about grasping those opportunities but generally we want to get back to normal as quickly as we can.
“We will continue to take a careful but hopefully absolutely for ward approach to this to get people back into the office where that is appropriate as quickly and as safely as possible.”
A spokesman for the Labourled Welsh Government said employees i n t he c ountr y would continue to be advised to work from home “where possible”. Dave Penman, general secretary of the civil servants’ union, said ministers needed to accept the “world of work has changed”, while Trade Union Congress boss
Frances O’grady argued many staff now wanted “a better balance of office and home- based working”.
However, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the government’s messaging campaign by saying it was now safe to return to workplaces.
He t old Sky News: “What we’re saying to people is it is now safe to go back to work and your employer should have made arrangements which are appropriate to make sure that it is coronavirus- safe to work and you will see some changes if you haven’t been in for a bit as a result.”
He added: “I think there’s a limit, just in human terms, to remote working. And there are things where you just need to spark off each other to make progress. So I think common sense will prevail between employers and employees. It’s certainly what we’ve seen so far and I very much think that will carry on next week as people do start to return more often to the office.”
Mr Shapps comments came as CBI director general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said office closures could lead to the creation of “ghost towns”.
She said: “The costs of office closure are becoming clearer by the day. Some of our busiest city centres resemble ghost towns, missing the usual bustle This comes at a high price for local businesses, jobs and communities.
“Remote working has been a resounding success for many firms and employees, and none of these benefits should be lost. Many people have never worked harder, keeping businesses afloat from their desks and kitchen tables. Flexible working is here to stay and needs to remain an option for many.
“But there are serious downsides too. For young people, learning face- to- face in the workplace is an unbeatable way to build skills and confidence. We must not deprive the next generation of this opportunity.
“Not everyone has the space to work effectively at home – an ironing board in the bedroom does not make a great workspace. And the mental health challenges triggered by isolation are all too real for many.
“There is also the question of fairness. Many employees, from barbers to brewers, have no option to work from home. We don’t want to see a new divide in our society - between those who can and can’t work from the safety and comfort of their homes.”