Duncan Moore, Plymouth Socialist Party
On 5 September, security staff at Devonport dockyard struck against changes to their working practices imposed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Since the first outbreak of Covid in March 2020, security guards have not been required to touch visitors’ security passes when they leave or enter the site. These workers normally handle thousands of security passes every day, without breaking to sanitise hands, potentially super-spreading the virus.
MoD bosses are now imposing the return of ‘touch pass control’, without consulting workers or their union. This is despite no security breaches in the two years since the practice was ended.
PCS industrial officer Justin Thomas told the Socialist: “We don’t want our workers put at risk unnecessarily. Covid has not gone away. Our members are striking for the health and safety of everyone in their place of work”.
Security workers vented their anger at the MoD bosses imposing these changes, having never set foot in the workplace during the height of the pandemic, while the security staff were on the front line. This dispute is yet another example of how workplace health and safety can’t be left to clueless bosses but should be decided by the workers.
