Your Union has continued to seek further protections for members as we navigate through uncharted territory in relation to the emerging worldwide Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
These conversations between your Union and all major employer groups who employ our members are ongoing.
NEW MEASURES FOR POST OFFICES
Following member feedback since the outbreak worsened, we have pushed for notices, reminding customers of good hygiene practices, to be displayed within post offices and we are pleased that Post has agreed to this.
From today, posters will be displayed in Post Offices, requesting for customers who have symptoms of illness, not to enter the outlet. Post have also placed updated information on their coronavirus information page online – calling on customers to keep at least one metre from others and to practice good hygiene. The update can be found here: https://auspost.com.au/about-us/news-media/important-updates/coronavirus
NEW MEASURES FOR THE DELIVERY OF ARTICLES TO CUSTOMER PREMISES
Following feedback from members and ongoing dialogue with Post this weekend, we are also pleased to share that the company have agreed to our calls for a streamlined ‘contactless delivery’ procedure.
Therefore, members delivering articles to customers will no longer be required to question whether a customer is suffering symptoms of illness, or in self-isolation related to COVID-19.
The new updated procedures now require members to remain at least 1.5 metres from all customers when delivering to their premises, confirm the customer’s name and inform them you are leaving the parcel for them without requiring any contact for the purpose of obtaining a signature.
MORE NEEDED ON SOCIAL DISTANCING
Whilst we welcome both initiatives, we continue our call for stronger social distancing measures in the workplace and a commitment to ‘special leave’ provisions for any employee who may require additional time off to recover from, or care for someone, if affected by the virus.
The Federal Government has issued a call for everybody to keep at least 1.5 metres away from each other and other employers, such as Telstra, who have gone so far as to cancel all in-person meetings involving 25 or more people and have introduced work-from-home arrangements across their entire office-based workforce.
And whilst we understand the complexities of having to manage the running of the organisation during such a difficult time, we feel Post could be introducing further flexibility to ensure effective social distancing at work – including the cancellation of meetings and working at home arrangements for those most at risk.
UNION DIRECTIONS ON MEMBERS’ HEALTH AND SAFETY
Therefore, your Union is directing all members to take all steps they feel are reasonable and appropriate to protect their health and safety whilst at work.
Specifically, the Union feels it would not be unreasonable to refuse to participate in gatherings or formal meetings where members are required to remain in close proximity to others statically for an extended period, nor do we believe it would be unreasonable for members to refuse interactions with any customer who displays symptoms of illness.
Should you encounter any difficulty when attempting to invoke your rights to a safe workplace, please contact your Branch Official immediately, for assistance.
TEMPORARY MEASURES TO REDUCE EXPOSURE AND SPREAD TO CEPU OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS
Your Union is also an employer, and as an employer I have had to take important decisions today to implement temporary measures to reduce exposure to the virus to our employees – your Officials.
Your Officials and Industrial Officers visit over 2000 workplaces across NSW and the ACT each year, in addition to the many close interactions they have, in person, with members daily.
Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of exposing your Officials and our employees to COVID-19, I have today issued the following directions, which will apply immediately and until further notice:
- All workplace visits are to be suspended;
- All meetings with management, service providers and other stakeholders are to be deferred, unless they can occur by tele or video conferencing; and
- Our premises at Level 3, 81 George Street Parramatta will be closed to the public
These measures will eliminate the risk of an Official becoming infected themselves, and inadvertently exposing members to the virus in their workplaces.
However, all other Union services will continue. Other than not seeing an Official in your workplace for some time, you should not notice any change in the provision of CEPU services.
Our Officials remain contactable by telephone and email and we will continue to communicate with you on a mass-scale via workplace circulars, social media channels, e-mail bulletins and SMS messages.
We are continuing to engage with your employers at the most senior levels and will ensure you have access to relevant information as soon as possible.
In the meantime, if you require any further information, please contact Branch Assistant Secretary Peter Chaloner or Branch Officials Cade Anderson, Gil Enzon, Elly Huttly, Phil Kessey, TK Ly, Liam Murphy, Peter O’Connell, Dharmpal Singh or Dennis Williams on (02) 9893 7822.
Further information on COVID-19 is available at the Department of Health’s website at: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
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