
The Socialist 1 April 2020
PPE, tests, full pay - for all now

NHS workers speak out: austerity has left us unprepared
Schools: union oversight needed to end chaos in provision under coronavirus
Councils must use resources now for emergency response
NHS supply chain worker: privatisation has cut equipment quantity and quality
Self-isolation class divide: decent homes for all!
Fully fund hospices to care for vulnerable children
Scandalous conditions in food distribution centre
All in this together? The 'Blitz spirit' myth
PPE, tests, full pay - for all now
Labour must resist 'Covid coalition': Workers need their own voice and party
Emergency legislation: Trade unions must be on guard against attacks on workers' interests
Key workers should make bold demands
Essential workers deserve more
Working in Mike Ashley's empire: After lockdown we won't forget how we've been treated
Hull construction workers force bosses to shut down site over health and safety fears
Bosses concede to walkouts in Northern Ireland
Bus drivers halt sackings - now restore our pay
Postal workers walk out over health, safety and junk mail
Working from home during the pandemic
Leicester: Nylacast worker exposes truth
Refuse collection workers strike
Fight for safety, staffing and services - Covid chaos for benefits claimants
More than ever, we need accountable union leaders
Help us continue to fight for workers and socialism
Going viral - Socialist letters and comments on the coronavirus crisis
PO Box 1398, Enfield EN1 9GT
020 8988 8777

Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1080/30524
![]() | |||
Home | The Socialist 1 April 2020 | Join the Socialist Party
Subscribe | Donate | Audio | PDF | ebook
Working from home during the pandemic
A worker in the heritage sector
People's experience of the transition to working fulltime from home varies.
Many financial sector employers were more prepared. This was partly because their profits are better protected by a healthy workforce.
This is in stark contrast to 'non-essential' public services, such as the heritage sector. National heritage institutions only started to close their doors to the public one or two days after Boris Johnson's 16 March announcement that people should stay at home.
Nothing for staff
The heritage sector adheres to international standards to ensure there are comprehensive disaster plans for their collection items. However, this crisis has proven that many don't have any comprehensive plan for staff when their health and safety is at risk.
We were told simply to just wash our hands, and had very little access to preventative tools to stop the spread of the virus. It was obvious management were floundering.
Our employers have reiterated that they understand that people can't be as productive as they usually are in the office. However, they haven't spelt out what this means.
Many homes are not equipped to be full-time workplaces. Many people have children and other caring responsibilities to deal with on top of their work duties.
Many are working from their kitchen table, flatpack desks bought online or even the sofa. Sometimes more than one person is working from home.
Although some employers have circulated Health and Safety Executive guidelines, what happens if our homes fail these assessments?
What about your health?
Working for long periods of time without ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks or other equipment needed to create a comfortable working environment could aggravate current health issues or cause future ones.
Many people want to continue working, so it is important to ensure that you are a member of a trade union. Although unions can't meet in person, many union branches are busy working together to secure more favourable pay and working-from-home conditions. (See 'Organising in the workplace in the time of coronavirus').
The trade union movement must be campaigning for full pay for all staff. But also that we should be working a lot fewer hours.
This would offset the additional costs incurred at home - energy and other utility bills. However, most importantly, this would help offset the health and safety risk of working from home.
In this issue
Coronavirus news
NHS workers speak out: austerity has left us unprepared
Schools: union oversight needed to end chaos in provision under coronavirus
Councils must use resources now for emergency response
NHS supply chain worker: privatisation has cut equipment quantity and quality
Self-isolation class divide: decent homes for all!
Fully fund hospices to care for vulnerable children
Scandalous conditions in food distribution centre
World War Two
All in this together? The 'Blitz spirit' myth
What we think
PPE, tests, full pay - for all now
Labour must resist 'Covid coalition': Workers need their own voice and party
Emergency legislation: Trade unions must be on guard against attacks on workers' interests
Food supply and the coronavirus crisis
Workplace news
Key workers should make bold demands
Essential workers deserve more
Working in Mike Ashley's empire: After lockdown we won't forget how we've been treated
Hull construction workers force bosses to shut down site over health and safety fears
Bosses concede to walkouts in Northern Ireland
Bus drivers halt sackings - now restore our pay
Postal workers walk out over health, safety and junk mail
Working from home during the pandemic
Leicester: Nylacast worker exposes truth
Refuse collection workers strike
Benefits
Fight for safety, staffing and services - Covid chaos for benefits claimants
More than ever, we need accountable union leaders
Campaigns
Help us continue to fight for workers and socialism
Readers' opinion
Going viral - Socialist letters and comments on the coronavirus crisis
Home | The Socialist 1 April 2020 | Join the Socialist Party
Related links:
Mass testing - we need trade union oversight and full pay for all
Covid vaccines only first step - fight job losses, austerity and 'virus' of capitalism
We need union action, not platitudes!
NHS Emergency - Fight for a fully funded, publicly owned, socialist NHS
NHS pandemic warnings ignored - renationalise our NHS
Dispatches from the front - health workers speak out
Our health and livelihoods before their profits
Tenants and workers unite to take on landlords
Stop Royal Mail's profit-driven plans to force postal workers to share vans
University workers ballot for action against in-person teaching
Get stuck in to build a fighting, democratic PCS union