Concerns over Royal Mail’s reinstating ‘ reckless’ voluntary van sharing policy
Concerns have been raised over Royal Mail’s decision to re- instate van sharing among postal workers after Covid- 19 outbreak at one of its Scottish offices.
Delivery workers have been operating al one s i nce t he beginning of lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid- 19.
But this week Royal Mail asked workers to begin shari ng deliver y vans again on a ‘ voluntar y basis’, but the Communication Workers Union describ ed t he decision as “reckless” and warned that some workers may feel obliged to share a van despite not feeling safe doing so.
I t comes after t en postal workers tested positive for Covid- 19 in an outbreak at the Bathgate delivery office. ne person had previously tested positive at the Dunfermline delivery office in September.
Deputy Secretary General ( Postal) of CWU Terry Pulli nger criticised t he t i ming of the decision, and accused Royal Mail of implementing it because of the run- up to Christmas rather than being guided by the severity of the pandemic.
“In the last couple of weeks, the landscape has drastically changed,” he said. “It’s getting worse, with areas of this country getting shut down. To now
make the move to put two people back in the van is reckless.”
A C W U s p o k e s p e r s o n warned: “Any i nst a nce of workplace i nt i midati o ni s absolutely unacceptable,” they said. If any Royal Mail workers feel that they are being intimidated, bullied or pressured into van sharing roles, they should speak to their CWU representative.”
One postal worker told The Scotsman: “Most of us think that Royal Mail are panicking about Christmas. We have been working solo since April and now when the virus is on the up this is what they come out with. The say it’s voluntary, but we’ve been advised by our union not to share vans.”
The move came as the Scottish Government was urged to liaise with the UK Government and the countr y's business community as it draws up the country’s new tiered system of coronavirus restrictions.
The pr o - uni o n bus i nes s
body SBUK ( Scottish Business United Kingdom) is calling for Scottish ministers to re- establish the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery ( AGER), which would allow "direct input" from the UK Treasury, led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and the Scotland Office, as well as industry chiefs.
Ms Sturgeon has already hinted that she may be ready to adopt a tougher approach to restrictions within the "tiered" regime being adopted in Scotland, amid concerns that even t he higher l evel t hree t i er south of the Border may not be enough to suppress transmission of the virus.
But SBUK says a "joined- up" approach to securing the economic support required north of the Border is now needed.
AGER was suspended in the summer, but should now be re- formed, the body says, with input from senior business leaders to ensure decisionmaking takes into account the economic impact of future restrictions.
SBUK’S chief executive Struan Stevenson said: “It is telling that since the first AGER published its plan in June, there has been no standing advisory group monitoring their delivery and neither has there been consistent, independent business advice to government on the economic impact of industry lockdowns.
"The creation of t he new three- tiered lockdown framework is an opportunity to set this right so that the needs of businesses, and their speedy recovery, are fully considered in the months ahead."
Mr Stevenson, a former Tory MEP, called on Scottish ministers to work more closely with the Scotland Office in shaping the new AGER to help improve communication with the UK Treasury on Scots business needs.
"Business owners know that it’s the strength of HM Treasury support that counts the most in helping companies survive the winter and support continued employment," he said.
SBUK has published The Union beyond Covid- 19: A strengthened case for business resurgence, a newly- updated prospectus for reforming devolution following the pandemic. The organisation calls for the Scottish and UK governments to work more closely than ever on a jobs- based economic recovery.
The document states: “Businesses in Scotland have had enough of the risk and uncertainty that the endless threat of separation entails. Yet it’s equally clear that the SNP Government will continue trying to take down the roof over our heads by advocating on a divisive referendum on partition.”
Ms Sturgeon has warned there will be “no return to normality” in Scotland when the current restrictions in Scotland, which has resulted in the closure of all pubs and restaurants in the Central Belt, expire on 26 October.
A S c o t t i s h Gove r n ment spokesman said: “We take on board as many views as possible from businesses, and the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery is just one of a number of mechanisms the Scottish Government used to inform its approach to shaping Scotland’s economic recovery.
“We are doing everything we can with the limited financial powers we have to respond to the pandemic, but we clearly require more powers and greater financial flexibility to help rebuild the Scottish economy. We engage regularly with the UK Government, and we continue to urge them to offer greater financial flexibility, including maintaining furlough support at 80 per cent of salaries.”