Contractor makes u-turn on paltry sick pay for bin men and women
EALING’S bin men and women were getting a paltry £94 per week sick pay if they called in sick with coronavirus or had to go into isolation
The same shocking rate applied to staff employed by contractor Amey at four other London boroughs.
Amey admitted it had been paying the key workers statutory government sick pay rates if they were hit by the virus.
The firm provides total facilities management services to four London councils’ buildings – Camden, Bexley Heath, Bromley, Haringey and Waltham Forest – as well as waste services at Ealing Council.
It also employs facilities management staff at six British Transport Police stations based at London Underground stations.
However, after pressure from the GMB union, the firm has now backed down and agreed to pay its staff full sick pay, and to backdate it if they have already called in sick.
The union accused the contractor of choosing profit over its employees’ welfare.
GMB London senior organiser Keith Williams said: “There are no other key workers facing an income of £94 per week if by maintaining critical services they are being exposed.
“There needs to be decency and morality on the part of all employers in the current crisis and Amey is no exception.
“This is why many other contractors within the public sector have all committed to paying full pay for employees who self isolate or are suffering from Covid-19.
“Lots of businesses throughout the country are in crisis and yet they are still managing to give their employees security during this unprecedented situation.”
Responding to the call, Amey has apologised and agreed to backdate full sick pay to those employees who have already had to take time off due to the pandemic.
Amey chief executive Amanda Fisher said: “We are grateful that the GMB has brought the issue around statutory sick pay for those affected by Covid-19 to our attention. We take pride in our employees being the driving force behind our business and we realise that on this occasion we got it wrong, for which we apologise.
“We have conducted an immediate review of our policy and can announce that any employee who is affected by Covid-19 – because they are sick or are self-isolating – will not be penalised for the effects of coronavirus.
“They will now receive full pay rather than statutory sick pay with immediate effect. This will also apply retrospectively to those that have taken time off due to the virus in the past few weeks.”
Ms Fisher added: “This decision has been made to help protect our employees in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic and ensure we are following government guidelines for keeping employees safe from the unnecessary spread of infection.
“We are immensely proud of all our employees, many of whom are continuing to deliver essential services that are keeping our country going in an extremely difficult time.”
Mr Williams said GMB welcomed the decision.
He added: “Equally important from my talks with the company is their new commitment to reorganise work to comply with the social distancing requirements currently in place during the health emergency. My understanding from Amey is that this will apply in all contracts across the UK.”
Rubbish and recycling collections in the borough continue as normal at this time, but reuse and recycling centres at Greenford and Acton are closed until further notice.
Ealing Council leader Julian Bell also flagged his concerns with Amey over the sick pay arrangements and said he expects all its contractors to pay workers full sick pay from day one.
Cllr Bell said: “Ealing Council expects our contractors to give any worker who is ill or self-isolating during the pandemic full sick pay, and we are in no doubt as to the severe danger that Covid-19 poses to everyone in the borough.
“No one working in the service should be in any doubt that if they are symptomatic, or live with someone who is, they should follow the government’s guidance on self-isolation, and that they will be financially supported in doing so.
“I want to put on record my admiration and gratitude to everyone working in waste and recycling services in Ealing, as well as the other services currently contracted to Amey. I know that they are working incredibly hard in difficult conditions and often with a reduced workforce in order to ensure that waste is collected and local streets kept clean.”
The council is continuing to work to transfer its waste and recycling services to the Greener Ealing local authority trading company, which commits to pay at least London Living Wage to all its workers.
There needs to be decency and morality on the part of all employers in this current crisis