‘Face-coverings rule puts bank staff health at risk’
STAFF in banks are being put at risk over the ‘dangerous’ refusal of the Government to make the wearing of masks compulsory, claims Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash.
Mr Nash also slammed the double standards between the North and the Republic noting that in the south there had been ‘no action on face coverings for banks, credit unions and An Post staff for over two months’.
By contrast, he claimed regulations within the North have imposed such a rule on banks and credit unions and other customer-facing sectors.
Mr Nash said: ‘The Minister must immediately publish any health advice he received and reconsider his decision. Two months ago, I asked the Minister for Health to request mandatory face coverings in banks – but no action was taken despite the valid concerns of financial services workers at the time.’
However, he said: ‘The Minister for
Health has confirmed to me in a response to a recent parliamentary question on the issue that he is unwilling to act for “public health and security reasons”.’
Mr Nash slammed the decision as ‘showing a complete disregard for the health and safety of banking, credit union and An Post staff who have continued to serve their communities in the midst of rapidly rising Covid-19 case numbers’.
Deputy Nash added: ‘Face coverings have already been made mandatory in Northern Ireland months ago, and we have seen no such security concerns expressed by the Northern Ireland authorities.’