Brits face holiday chaos as union bosses wage war against government’s plans to ease pingdemic for key workers
BRITS face a summer of holiday chaos as unions wage war against Government plans to end the pingdemic for key workers.
The transport workers union is threatening a strike while the union representing immigration staff said they could refuse to take part in testing aimed at keeping public services running.
There have been fears the number of employees being forced to quarantine by the pingdemic could see public services grind to a halt and even spark food shortages.
But the government has announced that certain key workers are to be exempt from crippling self-isolation rules with a list of essential jobs being drawn up.
However, Steve Hedley, senior assistant general secretary of the RMT transport union, threatened to launch strike action over the exemption scheme as he claims it could put his members at risk.
“Why should our people be infected with Covid?,” he
“They are panicking and trying to force our workers back to work, where it’s not safe.
“We have discussed the possibility of taking action at a senior level, and I can say that nothing has been ruled out.”
The ISU union which represents Border Force staff suggested the government’s plan was "unworkable” and members were reluctant to take part.
When officers had the option to take part in an earlier pilot to avoid self-isolation, they had not done so, said Lucy Moreton, professional officer for the union.
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“I am not sure how you would enforce it,” she said.
“You cannot compel them to test. Equally, I am not convinced Border Force can compel employees to say if they are double vaccinated.”
Ms Moreton claimed Border Force officers could refuse to travel to testing sites on their days off without being paid.
“Border Force staff count their time very carefully because they are used to accounting for it in chunks,” she said.
In a blow to union bosses Sir Keir Starmer today came out against their plans.
Asked whether workers should go on strike, the Labour leader replied: "No, I don't think that's the right way.
"If it is possible to show that with a double vaccination and a negative test critical workers can go back to work I would support that.
"Obviously we need to keep an eye on how safe it is, we need to be cautious.
"But we need to keep that critical sectors working and I think we should support exemptions that allow us to do that."
A Government source added: "We want to ensure there are as few queues at the border as possible and that means people doing the right thing and getting tested to protect public health."
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So far only NHS and social care staff have been exempted from the need to self-isolate after being 'pinged' for contact with a positive case.
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Instead they can return to work so long as they show a negative PCR test and then take daily Lateral Flow swabs.
There has been a clamour for the scheme to be extended to other key workers involved in essential services and supply chains such as shop staff.
