Star date: 8th June 2020

IF YOU FEEL AT RISK DON'T GO INTO SCHOOLS UNISON TELLS STAFF

Salford City UNISON's row with Salford City Council over the wider re-opening of schools has escalated, as the union is advising staff members who feel at risk from coronavirus and the above 1 R rate not to go into schools today.

Meanwhile, there have been three new confirmed cases of the virus and no new deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

Full details here...

After Salford City UNISON urged Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett and Salford Council to delay the wider re-opening of schools this weekend*, the union is now advising staff members who feel that their health and safety is at risk not to go into work...

"We have been working hard all weekend to try and get Salford City Council to do the right thing and recommend a delayed extension of opening" the union states "...However, the Council and the City Mayor intend to continue with an approach that we believe has been thoroughly discredited. We are incredibly disappointed (to put it mildly) and do intend to take this further...

"Many schools in the region have paused their plans for wider opening following the reported rise in the 'R' rate" it adds "UNISON is clear that this is absolutely the right thing for schools to do – health and safety of pupils and staff must come first and the danger is very clear with the rise in the 'R' Rate."

UNISON explains that it will support any member of staff who stays away "if you believe your health and safety is at serious risk if you go into school..."

Indeed the union has sent a template email for members to send to headteachers...

"...I'm writing to inform you that, in order to protect myself and/or other persons from danger, I won't be attending [name of school/college] to work there at present" it states "I will be available to work from home. The 'R' rate in our region has been shown to be above 1 and many schools are therefore delaying their wider opening plans. Understandably given the timing of this news, the school hasn't shared with me a reviewed risk assessment in light of this change to the 'R' rate. Therefore I do not feel reassured that a return to the workplace itself can be safe.

"In the meantime" the draft email concludes "I am of course willing to carry out any of my duties, or other alternative duties at my current grade, that can reasonably be undertaken from my home."

Meanwhile, Salford has three new confirmed cases of coronavirus, taking the total up to 950, from 947 the previous day.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the number of cases in Manchester now total 1,626 (up from 1,620), followed by Wigan with 1,219 (up from 1,217), Stockport 1,057 (up from 1,056), Oldham 1,102 (up from 1,097), Bolton 1,038 (up from 1,034), Trafford 843 (up from 841), Rochdale 827 (up from 825), Bury 782 (up from 778) and Tameside 777 (up from 762).

There were no further new deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

* For further details on Salford UNISON's schools stance against Salford Council see previous Salford Star article – click here