News

ONE of the largest courier firms in the UK are putting staff at deadly risk by imposing changes on their drivers across Northern Ireland.

The GMB union has slammed the decision to force through a plan, removing the right of staff to take the vans home after work. They argue that the timing couldn’t be worse as people attempt to come to terms with the deadly pandemic, which has so far caused over 50,000 deaths in the UK.

The Local Government Association Board made up of elected councillors have done a U-turn on a key part of the Local Government Pay Offer. In the pay offer letter dated 16th April 2020, the employer said:

‘Employer side to make representations to the government in order to seek funding for an additional amount to be awarded above the tabled 2.75% to employees in recognition of the exceptional hard work’.

GMB Update on Government proposals to increase school and early years pupil numbers in England from 1st June

On Friday 15 May GMB, along with other education unions, met with Professor Chris Whitty the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Patrick Vallance the government’s Chief Medical Advisor, along with other government scientists and members of SAGE (Scientific advisory group for emergencies) to discuss the risks of Coronavirus transmission by children, and the science behind the proposals to widen the opening of schools from 1 June. 

GMB has set up our Risk Register so that members, workplace representatives and officers can record where things have gone wrong with employers’ responses to the covid-19 pandemic.

Individual risk register

Individuals can complete this form to record their concerns about what has happened to them.

As with GMB’s historic Asbestos Register, this Covid-19 Risk Register will put on the record members’ concerns so there can be no dispute in the future about the level of risk they faced.

Workplace risk register