Why have we not heard complaining fro people working in private sector?

[mywayhighway]

You’d think the only people working at the moment were public sector. DH and I have luckily worked throughout the lockdown, DH is in construction, they have cracked on and found a way around every Covid19 related issue quietly and without fuss. Exactly the same in my workplace (manufacturing). Mainly it’s not rocket science. You don’t hear complaints from supermarket staff or smaller shops keepers.
I’m getting increasingly angry at sectors refusing to get back to work and it’s always public sector jobs where they have big unions and guaranteed wages and no threat of being laid off. Things need to dramatically change, people need to accept the risks and get back to work or hand their notice in. Schools are a prime example and next it’s going to be NHS therapies. Can’t they see they’re refusing to do their job is ultimately going to cause more deaths and have a much detrimental impact than Covid19 long term? Why are public sector workers so special?

So it's okay for private sector to utilised the ability to wfh, but not public sector? Teachers are working through lockdown, as am I - I work in mental health in the public sector and all my appointments are being carried out online. The government advice is wfh if you are able, but not for schools it seems? Yes, vulnerable and keyworker children need to be in with enough staff to supervise them, but those who can work from home should be according to the advice. A construction either cannot work from home.

YABVVVVU - don't you realise teachers work harder than everyone ever combined then more?

To those saying teachers are not so much worried about their own/their families risk of catching it but are worried about the increase in transmission rates I call b's.

Well you're wrong then. Lots of people feel that way. I certainly do. I'm not scared of going back to work - I'm pretty sure I have the virus, and my family are all fit, healthy and low risk. I'd go back tomorrow if I were required to.

I am worried that schools opening will pass the virus to vulnerable family members of school kids (not just transmission by the kids themselves, but also possible increased contact during the school run) will contribute to causing a second peak. I also don't understand how schools are suddenly supposed to have double the number of teachers available when classes are split into groups of 15.

Absolutely @walker1891
Why isn’t parliament sitting?
Surely there’s enough room for social distancing?
But four year olds and their teachers and carers? Yep. That’s realistic.

Two different issues:

1. should people go back to work in terms of keeping R0 down on a population level?

2. should people go back to work in terms of their own risk?

Unless vulnerable, the conversation needs to be about the former. People seem to think they’re entitled not to do anything which puts them at risk of catching coronavirus, but it is pie in the sky. At an appropriate rate having regard to R0 people need to get back to work ASAP if they can’t work from home. Lots of those concerned about the risks are going to find themselves out of a job, and I’m not sure if and when that happens they’ll see that as preferable.

I don’t think it’s a public/private divide though. NHS workers have been going to work throughout on the front line, as have bin men, and lots of teachers etc. I think the distinction is the publicity the public sector unions have been getting.

Oh and
🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
A few pathetic flowers to keep the rage alive

Heavily unionised workforces tend to be more prevalent in the public sector.

And often more obsessed with politics. I think the likes of Momentum are far more interested in dominating the Labour party than genuinely improving working conditions.

Why are we just talking about teachers when we're taking about public sector workers?

Because lots of people hate teachers, but also can't wait for teachers to give them a break from their children.

I can't think of any other profession where people are expected to go to work to spend an entire day in one room, in close proximity to 30 other people without any PPE or social distancing enforced. That's why OP!

Good point made above about libraries. Why haven’t they reopened them? People don’t congregate in libraries. Social distancing is easy. Wipe down each book as it’s handed over - doesn’t take long.

There's is no evidence that children pass it on to any serious degree

There is also no evidence that children do not pass it on to any serious degree.

We just don't know enough yet. Until the last week or so we didn't think children could get seriously ill from it.

I am public sector, we basically locked down before the lockdown. Are working as hard (some people far harder) than before. And we are being re-deployed at such a rate to other work, that those left doing our core job are having to pick up far more work. Colleagues are delivering Covid tests, others are helping DWP. One group of colleagues have been furloughed, and whilst they'd love to help we have run out of laptops, so they can't be used.
But as for teachers- maybe in some schools in some areas, they could retur to near "normal". If my children were younger they wouldn't be returning to school anytime soon. But I know I'm privileged to be able to make that choice.

Libraries haven't opened because they are not an essential part of most people's lives like schools.

@mywayhighway

You do hear issues from supermarket workers - ask how many have employers who say they are doing this, that and the other to protect the customers and employees but are not following through. Social distancing? Doesn't exist in some supermarkets, employees abused verbally and physically, telling staff they are lying when they present with symptoms and that is just the tip of the iceberg- employees are speaking but people (including the companies are not listening because it doesn't impinge on them). My DH works in a supermarket, and it is awful but nobody listens to him or the other staff.

Oh and just for the record as the parent of a reception child I fully back the teachers needing to be safe and my child to be safe both mentally and physically and if that means now is not the right time to go back so be it.

And when schools open they will not be allowed to take reading books home because of the risk with transferring the virus from house to house on books- I guess the same principle will apply to books in libraries.

You mean they don’t offer childcare @FreakStar

I work in the public sector. I'm a senior level employee in planning department. I am not complaining at all and will happily go back to work whenever. I am busy getting on with at home. Doing a normal working day.

Don't know what makes you want to bash public sector employees. Plus can't you see that teachers and other public facing jobs are at more risk? I can easily sit at a desk 2m apart from others and not come into contact. Try doing that with a class of 25 5 year oldS.

Two big problems if I try and summarise:

1. lack of accurate/ robust data on transmission rates, infection risks etc.
2. the trade off between risk minimising and economic failure

Therefore any way forward needs compromise which is of course easier said than done.

The unions are always hell bent on disagreeing with government. The government have made a shambles of most of this.

Where is the middle ground voice of reason? Who can we actually trust?

Statistically, social workers have also suffered similar deaths as teachers. We continue to meet our statutory duties and it’s impossible to socially distance from some of the individuals we come across. Appreciate it’s not directly comparable to teaching but a similar sort of profession in that we get given a very hard time by the wider public.

I think plans for teachers need to be made very clear and reassurance that they’re safe. Every work place should be safe. I do think that a minority of teachers are expecting the impossible from the government and need to accept we never planned to stop the virus, it was to flatten the curve to stop the NHS being overwhelmed.

You shouldn't be expected to risk your life, to fulfil your employment
Dramatic statements like this are going to destroy us. Use some common sense.

Honestly, how can you not know about the doctors, nurses and healthcare works who without PPE have caught the virus in the course of their work and not survived.

Oh, and thirty three bus drivers.

In the private sector, directors are personally responsible for breaches of health and safety. This may be why private companies put such emphasis on health and safety

What is the equivalent on the public sector ?

There's is no evidence that children pass it on to any serious degree.

Given that testing was halted for any but cases hospitalised, it would be very surprising if there were any evidence. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

What could it be about the virus that make it non infectious when hosted by a child but infections when hosted by a parent.

Why to the BMA think it isn't safe? Why are parliament not back yet?

I am very, very disappointed in what this says about us as a society.

Bin men are not public sector workers. Councils sub contract these days to private refuse collection companies.

@user1497207191 absolutely.

I wonder if so many objections would be raised by public sector employees if it were a Labour gov in power.

Honestly, how can you not know about the doctors, nurses and healthcare works who without PPE have caught the virus in the course of their work and not survived

It isn’t me you were replying to but I think almost everyone knows that, and I would hope everyone agrees it is utterly tragic. That doesn’t change the fact for the vast majority of young and healthy people, if they do catch covid, they will recover. For this vast majority, their lives will not be at risk.

Lots of people risk their lives for their jobs by the way - police officers etc. Lots more are doing so now. My husband is a doctor and I would love him not to go to work and expose himself to covid in the hospital but he’s needed. I don’t know why some (non-vulnerable) people expect key workers to continue to go out and (to use your words) risk their lives to keep the country going but expect to be able to sit at home and risk avoid themselves indefinitely.

My number lock was off. There are 9 confirmed cases of Corona virus at Asos.

@roarfeckingroar So you think teachers aren't really worried about the virus, it's just a political protest?

There’s been all sorts of issues we’ve had to overcome ...They’ve been logically looked at and worked out. Everyone accepts there wil always be some risks (as usual) but are grateful they still have a job

That about sums up a lot of the private sector doesn't it? Though equally there've been too many who didn't need to close but locked up and held their hands out anyway, purely because they could

Overall, though, I agree the public sector's more likely to foster a mindset of "someone else will pay", without any real thought given to how that works