UCU urges heads of institutions over Covid-19 closures

Following legal advice, UCU has today written to all education providers of prison education requesting again the suspension of all prison education departments in the interests of members' health and safety.

Vulnerable workers

As you will see within that letter, we are urging all members who fulfil the category of 'vulnerable' in accordance with government guidelines, to immediately cease work for a period of 12 weeks.

On our understanding this includes:

• pregnant women

and those who are suffering from:

• chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
• chronic kidney disease
• chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
• chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
• diabetes
• problems with their spleen - for example, sickle cell disease or if they have had their spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
• being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above).

We assume that on this basis all prison educators and support staff who have these conditions or who are caring for people with those conditions, or who are over 70 should self-isolate.

UCU are therefore advising all our members in these categories or caring for people in them to immediately follow government guidelines.

We expect all staff who self-isolate with an underlying medical condition or disability should either be given work to do at home or if this is not possible they should be paid disability/medical or special leave (not sick leave or annual leave as some employers have suggested as this would clearly constitute a detriment and would be discriminatory contrary to the Equality Act). We will continue to lobby all employers on the issue of pay.

Key workers

UCU has also written today to HMPPS requesting urgent clarification on your status as 'key workers'. We note from the government list issued late last night that prison educators are not included as a 'key worker' for the purposes of accessing childcare during the current Covid-19 crisis. The list: only refers to 'prison and probation staff' and with reference to teachers states: 'in educational settings for continuing to provide for the children of the other critical workers in this country.'

It is our understanding that some employers have already informed you that you are in fact 'key workers' and if this is the case you should seek clarification from your childcare provider or school whether you can access their provision.

Survey

We have already received hundreds of responses to our survey in less than 24 hours. Please complete the survey here and encourage your colleagues to do the same. We will be analysing the results early next week and will be setting out our advice to you in this regard on workplace safety.

On behalf of everyone in UCU, I just want to extend our collective thanks for all the work that you do in prisons and we acknowledge and appreciate that this is a really very difficult, stressful and confusing time for you all. Rest assured, we are doing all within our power to bring clarity and safety to your workplaces.

Kind regards

Marianne Quick
UCU bargaining and negotiations official