Not returning to work this coming week

cobain20 · Post by **cobain20** » 21 Mar 2020, 22:28

I am on my "long weekend" at the moment, and since finishing work on Friday everything has changed...again! The situation has just become very, very real, and I have decided I am not returning to work on Tuesday. I am going to self-isolate and ride this out.
However, I have no symptoms, and I am not ill. But my partner is one of those vulnerable people. She has asthma and a heart condition. Additionally, my elderly father has lung cancer, and my elderly mother has diabetes and pleurisy of the lungs. These are family members that I see regularly...I see my partner obviously every day at home, and my parents when I provide care for them.
I do not agree with the slack approach from Royal Mail and the zero guidance, and lack of concern. I have no grudge against my managers, as I know that they have had nothing from upper management either. Everyone is making it up as they go along. The death rate in the UK is going up rapidly with each passing day, and I am no longer prepared to risk picking up the virus and unwittingly pass it to my partner or parents.
I'm going to make the call to my manager on Monday and explain myself, but I have the feeling I will be given a disciplinary or probably even sacked. I'm not going to lie and pretend I have symptoms, I'm just going to be straight up honest about my family worries. I do actually love my job, and I do really enjoy the work, but this current situation...it's just not worth the risk.

Anyone else in the same boat??

Newestpostie · Post by **Newestpostie** » 21 Mar 2020, 22:46

Same concerns.

Management states that everyone will get it at some point! No real concern or care about the health of posties. There is a culture in my DO of ignoring the guidance and business as usual, if you don’t agree then you’re weak.

Seriously considering LT sick or resignation if the pandemic gets worse and RMs position stays the same. More important things than working for RM!

Post by **General Mannerheim** » 21 Mar 2020, 23:24

I'm not going in either.
I walked around our office which is a shithole at the best of times, and noticed how many people where either sneezing or coughing or looked ill, the cleaner is off and we have only had a `mobile` cleaner comes in who basically just sweeps the bands, and them paper s**t you get in the front of the boxes the posties just whizz on the floor, the bogs are filthy and have no soap or paper towels in, toilet paper is at a premium and them weird johnny five dispensers some twat keeps pushing the paper back through the small hole so making them redundant. The bin outside the callers office hasn't been emptied so it's now overflowing and smells awful, so not only are the managers not giving a shite about us workers they are happy for customers to see and smell that bin when coming for their parcels.

I heard one lad today ask a screw for some gloves and he just laughed at him and walked off. all they say is wash your hands , I heard another screw telling a lad that he couldn't go off if he had symptoms WTF.
Most of the posties at ours are all still going sitting in the canteen together at break no keeping a distance and most of them are young who think it's an old mans disease and they won't get it or die from it and have young family's so won't say boo to a goose as they are s**t scared of losing their jobs,
It's all very depressing and nobody gives a f**k about the welfare of staff, even though we all should all walk out for lack of duty of care and gravity of harm.
So after 32 years I'm out , My health and family comes first ….f**k YOU ROYAL MAIL AND CWU I'd like to say it's been a blast but it's been a nightmare for the last few years.

hero22 · Post by **hero22** » 21 Mar 2020, 23:38

Im in the same boat. Need the job but want to live. My partner thinks she will continue to work which infuriates me. We don't get second chances here so think I will also be phoning in.

sindba · Post by **sindba** » 22 Mar 2020, 00:10

I think I might be done too.

I really, really want to keep the service going but it's just too serious now.

If we're urgently called in for medical deliveries etc then I will do it. But I'm not risking my family's life for the sake of junk mail.

Zicomurphy · Post by **Zicomurphy** » 22 Mar 2020, 01:27

cobain20 wrote:I am on my "long weekend" at the moment, and since finishing work on Friday everything has changed...again! The situation has just become very, very real, and I have decided I am not returning to work on Tuesday. I am going to self-isolate and ride this out.
However, I have no symptoms, and I am not ill. But my partner is one of those vulnerable people. She has asthma and a heart condition. Additionally, my elderly father has lung cancer, and my elderly mother has diabetes and pleurisy of the lungs. These are family members that I see regularly...I see my partner obviously every day at home, and my parents when I provide care for them.
I do not agree with the slack approach from Royal Mail and the zero guidance, and lack of concern. I have no grudge against my managers, as I know that they have had nothing from upper management either. Everyone is making it up as they go along. The death rate in the UK is going up rapidly with each passing day, and I am no longer prepared to risk picking up the virus and unwittingly pass it to my partner or parents.
I'm going to make the call to my manager on Monday and explain myself, but I have the feeling I will be given a disciplinary or probably even sacked. I'm not going to lie and pretend I have symptoms, I'm just going to be straight up honest about my family worries. I do actually love my job, and I do really enjoy the work, but this current situation...it's just not worth the risk.

Anyone else in the same boat??

See the stickie thread in the Coronavirus forum. If you have concerns for family members you can take annual leave or unpaid time off.

I have an employee who does not want to attend work because they are concerned about a family member at home. They or anyone within their household do not have symptoms of coronavirus. What should I do?

Find out the employees concerns and reaffirm the processes that we have in place to ensure the protection of our employees.

If the employee continues to have concerns and wants to stay away from the office work with them to agree how they can take time away from work.

There are a range of options which can be considered including annual holiday, flexible working and Special Leave. If any time is provided as unpaid special leave, the manager should record this through “Other time Off – Special Leave unpaid”.

When entering the absence, the manager should select ‘Special Leave unpaid’ and then choose ‘Personal Commitments’.

terry2972 · Post by **terry2972** » 22 Mar 2020, 05:50

We are living through very strange time’s I think stress levels will be going through the roof and leading to sickness

ViperF · Post by **ViperF** » 22 Mar 2020, 05:56

So if your not going in and are going to self isolate . Are you going to do it properly then!

Ikaros666 · Post by **Ikaros666** » 22 Mar 2020, 07:09

Just go sick with Depression or some other mental illness. 6 months full pay then.

mjd24 · Post by **mjd24** » 22 Mar 2020, 07:53

Ikaros666 wrote:Just go sick with Depression or some other mental illness. 6 months full pay then.

Surely it cant be that easy? Im sure lots of us have had that thought over the last 24 hours especially, when things really seem to have “got real”.

Post by **rambo1** » 22 Mar 2020, 08:58

cobain20 wrote:I am on my "long weekend" at the moment, and since finishing work on Friday everything has changed...again! The situation has just become very, very real, and I have decided I am not returning to work on Tuesday. I am going to self-isolate and ride this out.
However, I have no symptoms, and I am not ill. But my partner is one of those vulnerable people. She has asthma and a heart condition. Additionally, my elderly father has lung cancer, and my elderly mother has diabetes and pleurisy of the lungs. These are family members that I see regularly...I see my partner obviously every day at home, and my parents when I provide care for them.
I do not agree with the slack approach from Royal Mail and the zero guidance, and lack of concern. I have no grudge against my managers, as I know that they have had nothing from upper management either. Everyone is making it up as they go along. The death rate in the UK is going up rapidly with each passing day, and I am no longer prepared to risk picking up the virus and unwittingly pass it to my partner or parents.
I'm going to make the call to my manager on Monday and explain myself, but I have the feeling I will be given a disciplinary or probably even sacked. I'm not going to lie and pretend I have symptoms, I'm just going to be straight up honest about my family worries. I do actually love my job, and I do really enjoy the work, but this current situation...it's just not worth the risk.

Anyone else in the same boat??

You shouldn't be seeing your parents with their conditions full stop. Even if you have no symptoms. Many will just use the situation to get a few weeks off work, not saying you btw. If you are not going to work with the reason of self isolation, you shouldn't be seeing your parents either and should isolate yourself from your other half within the house as best you can.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 22 Mar 2020, 09:45

cobain20 wrote:I am on my "long weekend" at the moment, and since finishing work on Friday everything has changed...again! The situation has just become very, very real, and I have decided I am not returning to work on Tuesday. I am going to self-isolate and ride this out.
However, I have no symptoms, and I am not ill. But my partner is one of those vulnerable people. She has asthma and a heart condition. Additionally, my elderly father has lung cancer, and my elderly mother has diabetes and pleurisy of the lungs. These are family members that I see regularly...I see my partner obviously every day at home, and my parents when I provide care for them.
I do not agree with the slack approach from Royal Mail and the zero guidance, and lack of concern. I have no grudge against my managers, as I know that they have had nothing from upper management either. Everyone is making it up as they go along. The death rate in the UK is going up rapidly with each passing day, and I am no longer prepared to risk picking up the virus and unwittingly pass it to my partner or parents.
I'm going to make the call to my manager on Monday and explain myself, but I have the feeling I will be given a disciplinary or probably even sacked. I'm not going to lie and pretend I have symptoms, I'm just going to be straight up honest about my family worries. I do actually love my job, and I do really enjoy the work, but this current situation...it's just not worth the risk.

Anyone else in the same boat??

You should not be getting close to any of your loved ones with their conditions but thats easier said then done so you must have gloves mask ect, staying off work is your choice we have all been told no touching wash hands keep your distance if we all follow these rules it will stop the spread of this nasty virus. For what its worth i think its now time for lockdown every one two weeks indoors that includes posties.

Post by **WASD** » 22 Mar 2020, 09:58

Respect your decision OP, health first! We have many off for the same situation as yours. You can't be sacked for it, so put your foot down, or in their mouth, haha.

We were told yesterday that sanitiser was worthless, which was to align with "no sanitiser available".

Chelseablue · Post by **Chelseablue** » 22 Mar 2020, 10:41

Someone mentioned a walkout , might have to come to that anyway

Poole70 · Post by **Poole70** » 22 Mar 2020, 11:03

Definitely time to take action...I think its important to let the world outside RM know how we're being disregarded by our own management.

People who are working on the actual frontline (ie NHS) staff have their own concerns re: their own safety ...lack of testing , out of date PPE etc.

But we have NO PPE and no proper H&S guidance or enforcement in place from management / executive.

Someone in our office put up WHO hand washing guidelines in our toilets...they clearly say use paper towels and dispose of them...do you think we have any paper towels ?! Do we f**k...

We should all be whistleblowing on this state of affairs to force their hand into getting out sorted ASAP.

I posted this link on another thread...basically The Guardian are looking for feedback from "key workers"...if enough of us respond we might get heard?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... xperiences" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Without proper health & safety measures IMMEDIATELY RM could be heading for an almighty case of Corporate manslaughter.

As a "customer" of many international companies I have received loads of pro-active and reassuring emails from their CEO's regarding the current situation and their plans to handle it...their staff are always at the centre of their thoughts

Where is our c**t of leader hiding himself ? It beggars belief.