Trade unions condemn Boris Johnson's decision to get people 'back to work'

Credit: PA

Trade unions have criticised the government’s decision to press on with measures to get people back into the office, despite putting the brakes on other lockdown easing plans.

Under the new guidance, which came into force on August 1, firms can now ask their staff to return to the office if they have implemented coronavirus-control measures.

The guidance states that even those deemed “extremely clinically vulnerable” to the virus can be asked to return to work if they cannot work from home.

It advises vulnerable individuals be offered the “safest available on-site roles” or temporarily adjusted working patterns.

Monday is the first working day the rules have been in place.

Early on in the coronavirus lockdown the government had been asking people to work from home where possible.

The new rules were first announced by the Prime Minister at a press conference on July 17.

Mr Johnson said at the time: “It is not for government to decide how employers should run their companies and whether they want their workforces in the office or not – that is for companies.”

When quizzed on how employers would know whether it's safe for staff to go back to work, the PM said "if businesses have taken the required measures to ensure the workplace is Covid secure, then the government's view is that it is safe for staff to return."

"We know that employers have gone to huge lengths to make workplaces safe, so that guidance remains unchanged", the PM said.

Johnson also added that businesses in local lockdown areas would continue as before, due to renewed lockdown restrictions.

Other planned lockdown easing measures, such as the opening of casinos, bowling alleys and skating rinks and wedding receptions of up to 30 people, have been put back by at least two weeks.

Heads of civil service departments were told in late July they should be “accelerating” their employees back into the workplace.

Civil service head Alex Chisholm said in a letter to all permanent secretaries it was time to “change the default that civil servants should work from home, and accelerate the return to the workplace from August 1”.

It appears that despite Mr Chisholm’s letter, various civil service departments have resisted a hurried return to the office, with a source in one department saying 99% of staff were still working from home.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed his planned easing of the lockdown for some sectors on Friday. Credit: PA Video

But the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) accused the government of “playing fast and loose” with workers’ safety.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “No-one should be returning to a workplace until it has been made safe to do so.

“Current scientific advice is that people should work from home where they can.

“Boris Johnson is risking industrial unrest by pursuing this policy and our union will support members who believe their workplace is unsafe to return to.”

Commenting on the PM's 'back to work' plea, Matthew Fell, Chief UK Policy Director at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said that some firms will be "quicker than others in rolling out back to work plans" but stressed that public health comes first.

"Companies know the return to offices must not risk an infection spike. Changing people’s behaviour and confidence will take time. The re-opening of schools, improved test and tracing, and public transport, will be key elements to achieving that”, Mr Fell added.

TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), the umbrella group for trade unions in England and Wales, urged ministers to make clear that "companies should continue to use the job retention scheme where home working is not an option."

TUC also reiterated that the government should "extend the Job Retention Scheme beyond October "for those who need it."

Frances O'Grady, TUC's General Secretary, said: “We all want to get the economy back on its feet, and people back to their workplaces. 

“But with infections rising the government needs to do far more to reassure workers they will be safe as shielding is paused and offices reopen. 

“That means requiring employers to carry out and publish proper risk assessments. And it means urging bosses not to recklessly force staff into workplaces for the sake of presenteeism."

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA Union, which represents managers in the civil service and public servants, accused the government of co-opting civil servants into “virtue signalling”.

He tweeted on Monday: “The majority of civil servants are currently working successfully from home.

“Ministers need to recognise this and allow the civil service to manage this transition, without pressure to virtue-signal for a pattern of working that has already changed for good.”

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the national representative body of 53 business chambers in all UK sectors, said companies in discussion with their employees, would "decide how and when to return to the office safely."

"Many have seen benefits to productivity and work-life balance over recent months, and will want to keep elements of their new normal," Adam Marshall, Director General at BCC said.

"For many employees, returning to the workplace is contingent on schools reopening, the availability of wraparound care and the capacity of public transport."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pledged results of all in-person tests would be back within 24 hours. Credit: Evening Standard/Jeremy Selwyn

The Institute of Directors (IoD) believes very few office-based firms would be in a rush to get their staff back into the workplace.

Research conducted in May of almost 1,000 business leaders found four fifths said they planned to keep increased flexible working such as working from home for their office-based employees.

Edwin Morgan, the IoD’s director of policy, said it was hard for businesses to know “whether they’re coming or going”.

“With so much uncertainty, not least around public transport and childcare, a number of companies may have to shelve plans for a full return to the office,” he said.

“The recent delay to reopening indicates that the road ahead won’t be easy.”

The IoD is now calling for the government to set up a recovery fund to help small firms return to the workplace safely.

Transport for London (TFL) said, that they saw a slight increase in the number of passengers on Monday, however this was in line with expectations, but TFL notes it is "significantly below their usual numbers."