Somerset College slammed for forcing staff to travel to work in dangerous conditions

UCU has reacted angrily to emails from the college to staff warning that if they refused to travel to work in treacherous conditions they would lose a day's annual leave.
 
The union said that the college's actions could force staff to try and travel in dangerous conditions, ignoring police advice against travelling, to avoid losing their holiday. The union's general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The safety of staff and students has to be the paramount concern of any college. We are absolutely horrified that Somerset College has threatened staff with a reduction in their holiday entitlement if they are not prepared to make a journey to work that the police advised against.
 
'Staff not wanting to be penalised are putting their safety, and that of others, at risk if they attempt to travel in dangerous conditions. We hope the college will now retract these ridiculous orders and put the safety of its staff and the local population ahead of anything else.'