A group of 93 MPs have called upon Royal Mail to offer greater protection for postal workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter to the service’s CEO Rico Back, the cohort — including MPs Sam Tarry, Wes Streeting, Apsana Begum and Jon Cruddas — request “urgent action” to ensure staff work in “as safe an environment as possible” during the outbreak.
Acknowledging the “key worker” status of this group, the group implore royal mail to adopt the suggested proposals from the Communication Workers Union.
Primarily they want to establish an emergency network which would allow for flexibility should staff numbers deplete.
Other requests include providing adequate protective equipment, only opening sorting offices if social distancing can be followed and stopping the postage of all unnecessary correspondence.
Both Ilford MPs — alongside those for Poplar and Limehouse and Dagenham and Rainham — also urge 12-weeks full pay for workers who must shield in accordance with government guidelines.
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