Coronavirus Ireland: Calls for 'code of practice' to ensure workers forced to stay home get paid
THE leader of the trade union movement has called for a statutory ‘code of practice’ to ensure workers forced to stay at home due to coronavirus get paid.
In a letter to IBEC chief executive Danny McCoy, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said she had asked the director general of the Workplace Relations Commission to consider her proposal.
“This would provide clarity for all concerned and avoid different employer approaches to this serious matter,” she said in the letter sent today.
She said in recent days there has been considerable public debate on the precise implications for workers who are affected in any way by the current public health requirements.
“It is our view that in circumstances where an employee contracts this virus the normal condition for sick leave applies,” she said.
She said in cases of enforced absences where a worker gets medical advice to self-isolate, they should get their normal pay.
“This should also apply where an employee self-isolates in accordance with the up-to-date guidance of the HSE,” she said.
She said where someone must carry out caring duties as a direct result of the COVID-19 virus, these absences should be regarded as “enforced” and “remunerated accordingly”.
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Ms King said other possible flexible working arrangements including working from home should be the subject of discussion at local level.
She said the arrangements for public servants, particularly those engaged in delivering emergency and health services, should be agreed between unions and employers.
“In light of the above, I have contacted the director general of the WRC and requested that strong consideration be given to the development of a statutory code of practice relating to these matters and agreed between the stakeholders,” she said.
“This would provide clarity for all concerned and avoid different employer approaches to this serious matter.”
This comes as a union for CIE workers has demanded that they get full pay if forced to self-isolate due to the coronavirus.
In letters to Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail, general secretary of the National Bus and Railworkers Union, Dermot O’Leary, demanded that his members get the same deal as had been struck by a nursing union and the HSE.
“It has been brought to my attention that the INMO has reached an agreement with the HSE that proposes to address this issue by way of designating such ‘forced’ absences as being of a ‘Special Leave’ nature, with pay,” he said in one of the letters to Chief People officer at Bus Éireann, Sinead Kilkelly.
“I trust that you will reflect on the advice contained in the foregoing and revert with a commitment to treat Bus Éireann’s staff in a manner no less than that agreed between the INMO and the HSE.”
He said members had expressed concern about how they might be treated “if in the unfortunate event hat they may have to self-isolate” as a result of HSE or government agencies’ advice.
Mr O’Leary noted that a circular issued by the minister for public service in 1976 referred to enforced absences on account of contact with people suffering from infectious disease may be treated as special leave with pay.
The circular on ‘contact with infectious diseases’ said any civil servant who had been in contact with infectious diseases other than scarlet fever, measles, rubella, whooping cough, chicken pox or mumps should “absent himself from duty”.
Online Editors
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