John Gorle – Usdaw National Officer says: “Usdaw is seeking to improve the response of Lincolnshire Co-op Society to the Coronavirus emergency, but regrettably we are coming up against some resistance over a number of issues.

“The Society is engaging in some pretty mean-spirited measures, such as removing staff discount for those who opt for furlough rather than being redeployed, paying SSP to those who are self-isolating because they live with someone who has symptoms and refusing to pay staff in the vulnerable category unless they have a letter evidencing their condition.

“We are deeply concerned that the Society is putting profits before public health and staff welfare. Staff should not risk the further spread of Covid-19 because they cannot afford to be off work when they should be. In the midst of a national crisis, we have to be working together to get through it and unfortunately this Co-op society is not being very co-operative.

“Shopworkers are on the frontline of feeding the country, providing an essential service in very difficult circumstances, working long hours in busy stores, facing abuse from customers and of course concerned they may contract Covid-19. So we expect employers to treat our retail heroes with dignity and respect.”

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 400,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
Lincolnshire Co-operative is an independent consumer co‑operative with stores in Lincolnshire and Newark, with a pharmacy in Hunstanton, employing nearly 3,000 staff www.lincolnshire.coop
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion