Unison is demanding Milton Keynes Council steps back from what it says is a ‘rogue local plan’ to order staff in high risk categories back to work.

The union has claimed social workers, care staff, and other council workers ‘currently off because their health or that of a family member makes them vulnerable to COVID-19 are being forced back to frontline duties’. 

Unison has said this is in breach of national guidance designed to protect workers and their families in high risk categories drawn up for England and Wales by the Local Government Association.

But a spokesman for Milton Keynes Council told The MJ it is ‘following all current Government and public health guidance, and staff who are in the Government’s clinically shielded group are not being asked to return to the workplace’.  

He said the council has not furloughed any staff and all workers ‘are receiving their normal, full pay at this time’.

Photo: © Steven Haslington