Halifax MP joins elected members on demanding the Government clarify 'key worker' status

Halifax MP Holly Lynch and 15 other Yorkshire MPs are calling on the Government to clarify 'key worker' status as region's employees continue to work
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Workers across Yorkshire are being forced to go into offices, factories, and warehouses during the coronavirus lockdown despite them disagreeing over whether their roles are essential, a group of MPs has claimed.

The region’s MP, and unions have been contacted en masse by concerned employees who fear they are putting their health, or that of vulnerable family members at risk, by going to work.

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But many have been told it is not possible for them to work from home or that they will not be paid if they do not come in, despite Government assistance available to furlough workers during the crisis.

Halifax MP Holly LynchHalifax MP Holly Lynch
Halifax MP Holly Lynch

Amid much public confusion, the Government has said employees can continue working in non-essential industries if social distancing can be safely practised.

But calls have been made for Boris Johnson to clarify exactly what measures need to be put in place.

Some 16 Yorkshire MPs - led by Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel - have written to the Prime Minister demanding clarification on who counts as a key worker, as they said “organisations should not be free to define staff as ‘key workers’. Those definitions must be set out in full by the Government”.

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And Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Layla Moran has demanded an anonymous whistleblowing hotline be set up for employees to report companies not adhering to the rules.

The letter from Yorkshire MPs said: “We the undersigned, request that the Government clearly define who are and who are not key workers. We do not believe that those in the telecommunications industry, other than those who deal with emergency response, should be defined as key workers.

“We also ask the Government to raise serious questions with industry leaders about why they could not run operations and call centres remotely and why they had no systems in place to do so in the event of a national emergency.

“These organisations are some of the wealthiest in the United Kingdom. We have seen much smaller firms, creatively redesigning their systems to allow for home working.”

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They also called for clearer guidance on social distancing measures and added: “We believe this to be in breach of the spirit of the national lockdown and a serious risk to public health during this crisis.”

It was signed by Mr Sobel, Naz Shah (Bradford West), Rachel Reeves (Leeds West), Ms Peacock, Ed Miliband (Doncaster North), Rachael Maskell (York Central), Holly Lynch (Halifax), Diana Johnson (Hull North), Emma Hardy (Hull West and Hessle), Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East), Gill Furniss (Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough), Tracy Brabin (Batley and Spen), Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Mr Benn, and Karl Turner (Hull East).

During Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday Boris Johnson said “every business is to follow what the Government has said, to obey the rules or to expect the consequences.

"That is the best way to look after not just their employees but their businesses as well."

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But union leaders have called on the Government to go further and intervene to stop companies forcing those in non-essential services to go to work.

The TUC said there should be more specific guidance on what jobs fall into the essential services category, and employers must be told their staff should not be travelling to work if their job is non-essential.

Workers should also be reassured they will not face disciplinary action or dismissal if they stay at home, said the TUC.

General secretary Frances O'Grady said companies must not put their profits before people's lives, adding: "No-one should be sacked for following official instructions and staying home.

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"To end any confusion, Government should provide specific instruction on what jobs fall into the essential services category.

"If companies continue to flout the rules, they shouldn't just be held accountable in the court of public opinion, the Government must intervene to make them close their doors."

Mr Johnson said on Monday night that the public "must stay at home" unless they work in a key sector or industry.

This includes some shops such as grocers, pharmacies, pet shops, bicycle shops and hardware stores, among others.

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But retailers can still trade online, and the Government is now under pressure to intervene to end the confusion about which businesses can continue to operate.

Many workers in the retail and construction sectors have said they feel they have little choice but to head to work, leading to images of overcrowded trains emerging on social media.