Union bosses in Dundee have called for five safety systems to be met before employees are asked to return to work.
Dundee Trades Union Council (TUC) is urging employers in the public, private and third sectors to adhere to the “five red lines” adopted by the Scottish TUC.
That means workplaces should only be reopened if there is evidence it is safe to do so, greater testing must be in place, followed up by contact tracing, and PPE should be supplied where needed.
The TUC has pledged support for any workers who collectively refuse to return to work because of legitimate safety fears.
The body is also asking for set guidelines, appropriate to each sector, with enforcement in place to make sure they are followed.
For those who cannot return to work for health reasons, they have called for security through a job retention scheme or other support.
Mike Arnott, Dundee TUC secretary, said: “It is crucial that any relaxation of workplace covid-19 restrictions must be evidence based, open and transparent.
“Crucially it is an opportunity for workplaces without union representation to take advantage of union health and safety representatives in the wider community, who are available, through the STUC, to help develop workplace risk assessments.”
The Dundee branch agreed to support the campaign during a branch meeting this week.
It comes after the Scottish TUC outlined the terms last week.
Scottish TUC general secretary designate, Roz Foyer, said: “Each work sector must be treated according to its distinct characteristics and governed by guidelines agreed with unions and there must be no implied threat of loss of income for workers not able to return to work.
“The job retention scheme must stay in place with no further reductions in levels of pay support.
“We have a very clear message to employers and to all levels of government: If workers have legitimate safety fears, unions will use all means at their disposal to keep them safe and the STUC will support any action aimed to protect workers in Scotland.”
