LTB 051/2021 -Royal Mail Group - NHS 'Test & Trace' App Manipulation : Managers telling members to ignore it, switch it off, delete it ect

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-051-2021-ro ... ipulation/

LTB 051/2021 – Royal Mail Group – NHS ‘Test & Trace’ App Manipulation
No. 051/2021

10 February 2021

Our Ref: E1/21

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Royal Mail Group – NHS ‘Test & Trace’ App Manipulation:

A considerable number of incidents have been reported to CWU/HQ whereby local managers have sought, in one way or another, to manipulate the use of the Government’s NHS ‘Test and Trace’ App. This has involved a variety of things, including managers telling members to ignore it, switch it off, delete it, re-set it, put the phone away etc., and in some cases employees have been contacted whilst self-isolating at home and told to come to work or lose pay because the App is no good, so creating safety concerns amongst the workforce and infection risks plus fear and anxiety amongst members.

These cases have been raised individually for resolution and raised generally, calling for clear communications to managers and staff.

The following statement has been issued by the Royal Mail Group Head of Health & Wellbeing on 5 February 2021:

To: Dave Joyce Health, Safety & Environment Officer

CWU/HQ

Dear Dave,

Re NHS Test & Trace App

Thank you for your email.

As discussed Royal Mail Group fully supports the ‘NHS Test & Trace’ service including the use of the T&T App and it’s advice on when to self-isolate.

We continue to issue regular communications on this, I have asked Nick Burns to share with you our latest communication on the NHS Test & Trace App which was issued on Tuesday this week.

Regards

Rachel Boon
Royal Mail Group Head of Health and Wellbeing

***************************************************************************

The following Communication was issued by the Royal Mail Group Safety Health and Environment Engagement Manager on 2 February 2021:

To: Dave Joyce Health, Safety & Environment Officer

CWU/HQ

Dear Dave,

Re NHS Test & Trace App

Following previous discussions with you about the Test and Trace App. Please find below a copy of the communication that has been sent out today Tuesday 2nd February. The topic is also being covered by Simon Thompson on RMTV which is being released later today.

NHS Test and Trace App

Royal Mail is supporting the use of the NHS Covid-19 App. We want to encourage everyone to download the NHS Covid-19 App on their phone and use it. Guidance on how you can do this is available through the link. There is no requirement for QR codes to be displayed in workplaces which means we do not need to display QR codes in our units, offices or canteens. Please remove these if they are in place.

If you are in contact with someone who later tests positive for coronavirus, the App will be able to alert you and provide instructions on what to do if Applicable. You must read the alert very carefully and follow the advice. Some of the guidance you will receive is optional, some of it is mandatory.

If you develop symptoms and test positive, the App can be used to alert others you might have been in contact with and potentially share advice with them. Similar Apps are live in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Government guidance is that once you have downloaded the App, it should be left on as much as possible. However, there are some specific scenarios when you should pause the contact tracing feature. These include:

When you are working behind a Perspex (or equivalent) screen (for example, in a Customer Service Point).
If you are putting your phone in storage, such as in a work locker, and it will not be on your person.
Contact tracing can be paused within the App by moving the contact tracing toggle on the home screen. It’s important you turn the contact tracing toggle back on as soon as you are not in one of the above scenarios so that if you are in contact with someone who later tests positive for coronavirus, the App will be able to alert you and provide instructions on what to do if Applicable.

Anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus should self-isolate and request a test immediately. You can access up-to-date guidance on what steps to take whilst self-isolating on the NHS website. Employees should fully comply with instructions provided by the NHS T&T App and keep their line manager informed.

Regards

Nicholas Burns
Safety Health and Environment Engagement Manager
Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment

***************************************************************************

The NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing, ‘Test & Trace’ App was launched /rolled out by the Government/NHS on 24 September 2020. The Government urged businesses/employers to support it and RMG did so.

The App is designed to support the NHS Test and Trace system and to reach as many people as possible as quickly as possible to prevent further transmissions and outbreaks, stop the virus spreading, help keep it under control and keep people safe.

The App will notify at risk individuals when they’ve been near other App users who have tested positive for Coronavirus/Covid-19 or visited locations where outbreaks have occurred in order that the person contacted can take Appropriate action i.e., self-isolate, get tested, alert family, friends, colleagues etc.

Royal Mail Group has continued to support the App and encouraged staff to support it, in the regularly published Coronavirus Guidance which states ‘RMG are supporting the use of the NHS Covid-19 App and are actively encouraging staff to download the App.’ As such many RMG employees/CWU members have taken the advice, downloaded the App and followed the advice received.

In conclusion – Royal Mail Group (Royal Mail & Parcelforce) instructions are to follow the advice given by the NHS either over the telephone or via the NHS App at all times.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[POSTMAN]

It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low life c***s they have always been.

[yubin282]

....and when will these 'managers' be sacked.

[Coffee lover]

Surely that’s a sackable offence for the managers doing this? Also when are they going to address the issue of people still sharing vans it’s happening all the time at our office in fact our manager drops people off at the start of a delivery point to avoid them walking it’s still going on! All they seem to care about is the money and saving it rather than lives

[P13]

Surely that’s a sackable offence for the managers doing this? Also when are they going to address the issue of people still sharing vans it’s happening all the time at our office in fact our manager drops people off at the start of a delivery point to avoid them walking it’s still going on! All they seem to care about is the money and saving it rather than lives

Why don't you report them

[Coffee lover]

Surely that’s a sackable offence for the managers doing this? Also when are they going to address the issue of people still sharing vans it’s happening all the time at our office in fact our manager drops people off at the start of a delivery point to avoid them walking it’s still going on! All they seem to care about is the money and saving it rather than lives

Why don't you report them

who too I told another manager who said he knew about it but said he was keeping out if it also told local rep as we don’t have one and he just sent email to manager telling him to stop but he appears to have ignored it by now getting phg to drop of posties! It’s ridiculous