Ealing Borough Binmen Celebrate Sick Pay U-turn
Will now receive full pay if they are self-isolating with coronavirus
Ealing's bin collectors will receive full pay if they go off sick or self-isolating with coronavirus after the council's appointed contractor was forced to make a u-turn its policy.
In a victory for the GMB Union, provider Amey, which runs the borough's waste management service, apologised for not previously enforcing the pay boost for its workers hit by the deadly virus.
It meant that its refuse teams, who are classed as key workers in the crisis, would only be granted statutory sick pay amounting to £94 a week if they were forced to stay at home due to Covid-19.
The union accused the contractor of choosing profit over its employees' welfare. GMB senior organiser Keith Williams said: "There are no other key workers facing an income of £94 per week, if by maintaining critical services they are being exposed.
"There needs to be decency and morality on the part of all employers in the current crisis and Amey are no exception.
"This is why many other contractors within the Public Sector have all committed to paying full pay for employees who self-isolate or are suffering COVID-19.
"Lots of businesses, throughout the country are in crisis and yet they are still managing to give their employees security during this unprecedented situation."
Responding to the call, Amey has apologised and agreed to backdate full sick pay to those employees who have already had to take time off due to the pandemic.
Amey chief executive, Amanda Fisher, said: "We are grateful that the GMB has brought the issue around statutory sick pay for those affected by Covid-19 to our attention. We take pride in our employees being the driving force behind our business and we realise that on this occasion we got it wrong, for which we apologise.
"We have conducted an immediate review of our policy and can announce that any employee who is affected by Covid-19 - because they are sick or are self-isolating - will not be penalised for the effects of coronavirus.
"They will now receive full pay rather than statutory sick pay with immediate effect. This will also apply retrospectively to those that have taken time off due to the virus in the past few weeks.
Ms Fisher added: "This decision has been made to help protect our employees in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic, and ensure we are following government guidelines for keeping employees safe from the unnecessary spread of infection.
"We are immensely proud of all our employees, many of whom are continuing to deliver essential services that are keeping our country going in an extremely difficult time."
Mr Williams said GMB welcomed the decision and is happy to accept the apology.
He added: “Equally important from my talks with the company yesterday is their new commitment to reorganise work to comply with the social distancing requirements currently in place during the health emergency.
“My understanding from Amey is that this will apply in all contracts across the UK.”
Rubbish and recycling collections in the borough continue as normal at this time, but reuse and recycling centres at Greenford and Acton are closed until further notice.
Ealing Council leader Julian Bell also flagged his concerns with Amey over the sick pay arrangements and said he expects all its contractors to pay workers full sick pay from day one.
Cllr Bell said, “Ealing Council expects our contractors to give any worker who is ill or self-isolating during the pandemic full sick pay, and we are in no doubt as to the severe danger that Covid-19 poses to everyone in the borough…
“No-one working in the service should be in any doubt that if they are symptomatic, or live with someone who is, they should follow the government’s guidance on self-isolation, and that they will be financially supported in doing so.
“I want to put on record my admiration and gratitude to everyone working in waste and recycling services in Ealing, as well as the other services currently contracted to Amey. I know that they are working incredibly hard in difficult conditions and often with a reduced workforce in order to ensure that waste is collected and local streets kept clean.”
The council is continuing to work to transfer its waste and recycling services to the Greener Ealing local authority trading company, which commits to pay at least London Living Wage to all its workers.
Rubbish and recycling collections in the borough continue as normal at this time, but reuse and recycling centres at Greenford and Acton are closed until further notice.
Anahita Hossein-Pour - Local Democracy Reporter
April 1, 2020