Tag: covid-19

Schools and Lockdown – UNISON says more action needed!

Schools and the ‘Second Lockdown’ – action needed for staff and student safety!

classroom photoIf you work in a school or have school-age children, UNISON believes urgent actions are needed over and above current government policy to support suppressing Covid 19 in our community and to safeguard staff, students and families.

If you have concerns about your school, or want help and support implementing safe working, contact UNISON at unison@southend.gov.uk

UNISON’s national Schools Committee believes that to help bring the national rate of infection down, to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the community, and to prevent further damaging ad hoc closures, schools and nurseries should instead return to the position of the first lockdown – open only for vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers.

To ensure effective home learning, the government should urgently fund all necessary equipment for pupils that need it, so that high quality education can continue. We are firmly committed to getting pupils and staff safely back into schools once national infection rates are under control.

In the meantime, we believe the following safety steps should be implemented immediately:

  • Reduce risks by maximising social distancing and implement existing
    contingency plans for reduced class sizes and home learning (schools alreadyhave these plans in plans in place).
  • Reduce bubble sizes and introduce rotas to reduce risks.
  • Staff remaining within one bubble; so reducing the risk of spread across the
    school.
  • Moving whole bubbles to home learning where a pupil or member of staff
    develops coronavirus symptoms or receives a positive test.
  • Ensure that all school staff have priority access to the test and trace system.
    Require all pupils and staff to wear face coverings while at school (including
    classrooms) as is policy in other countries e.g. France. Clear face masks to
    be made available so that pupils and staff who need to read lips are not
    disadvantaged. There should be exemptions for pupils and staff who cannot
    wear face coverings.
  • Move all clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), clinically vulnerable (CV), staff over 60 and pregnant staff (3rd trimester) to home working as they are at the highest risk from becoming seriously ill if they catch the virus. CEV and CVstaff who cannot work from home to stay at home on full pay.
    Individual risk assessments for staff in other higher risk groups, such as Black staff, older male staff and those with weight issues, who are at increased risk of adverse outcomes if they contract the virus. Staff identified as being at particular risk should also be allowed to work from home.
  • Permit and encourage staff (and pupils aged 16 and over) to use the NHS
    COVID app in school, including classrooms, as per DfE guidance.
  • Stronger measures on school transport and at the school gates to stop
    mixing, ensure social distancing and the wearing of face coverings.
  • Increase funding to schools to cover the increased costs of cleaning

You can read our statement in full here.

Latest Advice for Schools Workers

Schools Workers – Latest Advice from UNISON

UNISON appreciates these are extraordinary times for all with increased anxiety and emotions running high. The latest news of some schools staying open has no doubt added to this. As a branch we will continue to support our members and to ensure we all get the best advice and information.

Southend Local Government UNISON’s latest advice on the current situation is:

  • You should not be in school at work if you, people you live with, or people you care for are in an ‘at risk group’ (see UNISON’s  national website www.unison.org.uk for the details on this)
  • The school  should seek volunteers to work where possible
  • Large staff meetings should not be held
  • You should only be caring for children who have no other means of care due to the critical role their parents have (around 10% of the school population) – the school needs to be clear with parents that if they can care for their children they should
  • You should not be at work if you are not directly supporting children. For instance, you do not need to be in school to be put on a rota to clean out the cupboards! Heads should be minimising contact by minimising numbers of workers in the school. This in turn will minimise the risk of infection
  • You should have access to PPE (personal protective equipment) such as hand sanitisers and wipes.

Working over the Easter holidays:

  • You need a break too – try and negotiate what rota best suits you over this time. Maybe have a week as a block of time off if this is appropriate?
  • You should get paid for working over the holiday –  if you prefer time off in lieu then ask but be aware this might be hard to take and the current situation may last for a long period of time.

The local UNISON website www.unisonsouthend.org.uk  and the national website www.unison.org.uk   have information for all workers and this information will be updated regularly. Please share this resource with colleagues.

We will be contacting schools directly to inform them of our concerns and expectations as above. Remember you do have rights and while you will be working hard to do what you can for children, do not place yourself at any unnecessary risk.

If you or your colleagues are union members but do not receive emails from UNISON, please email us at unison@southend.gov.uk to enable us to ensure we can keep in touch with you.

Please keep in touch with your union over these issues whether with good stories about how we are coping safely or your concerns and worries, so we can collectively support each other in what are unprecedented times.