Members may be aware that the NSW Government has announced a range of COVID restrictions to Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions which came into effect at 4pm yesterday, 23 June 2021.
These restrictions are made by public health order and therefore compliance is a legal requirement. Some of these restrictions will apply to the way you work, and the way you travel to work, particularly:
- Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events;
- The one person per four square metres rule will be re-introduced for all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals;
- Previous public transport capacity limits, represented by green dots, will be reintroduced; and
- If you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas, you cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential travel.
In response to these restrictions, the following measures have been introduced by Australia Post in consultation with the Union and will apply over the next seven days, or longer if the restrictions are extended by the Government:
- Masks will be required to be worn at all times whilst working indoors at an Australia Post facility – this is a requirement of the public health order made by the Government;
- Delivery members and others who make deliveries to indoor premises will be required to wear masks when making these deliveries;
- At this time, the indoor space requirements do not require the reintroduction of staggered starts;
- Restrictions on movement within SWLF during Sunday duties may be required and is currently being assessed, however this will not impact on the ratio requirements in a negative way – if anything, it may lead to an increase in requirements this coming weekend;
- Buddy system will be reintroduced for Parcel PDOs who work with two in a van, and for members loading loose-load trailers – no swaps are to occur and masks must be worn when in the van or trailer together;
- Disposable masks and adequate supplies of hand sanitiser will be made available to workers at impacted facilities;
- Deep-clean scheduling practices at facilities with common work locations will be reintroduced;
- SPDO2s will be kept at their home site other than in cases of extenuating circumstances and following consultation
- Members requesting to cancel leave who are impacted by travel restrictions will be accommodated where possible – assessed on a case-by-case basis;
- Zoning within workplaces, including meal room facilities will be re-introduced – members should be mindful of maintaining social distancing, including when on breaks;
- Where possible, members are discouraged from ride-sharing and car-pooling when commuting to work for the interim period; and
- Non-operational staff who can work from home, should work from home. If you work in a location which can facilitate this practice and it is being denied, please contact us for assistance.
It is important that members adhere to these restrictions in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in the community. However, if you have genuine reasons that preclude you from being able to meet those restrictions, you should discuss this immediately with your supervisor and contact us for any advice or assistance you may require.
To minimise risk to our members and officers, Union Official visits to workplaces will cease for the interim period and recommence following the cessation of the restriction period.
Should you require any further information, please contact Branch Assistant Secretary Peter Chaloner or Branch Officials Cade Anderson, Elly Huttly, Phil Kessey, TK Ly, Liam Murphy, Peter O’Connell, Dharmpal Singh or Dennis Williams on (02) 9893 7822.
Please keep safe.
Yours faithfully
SHANE MURPHY
BRANCH SECRETARY
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