Education unions: 'Not working at unsafe school'
The joint education unions are calling on their members to appeal to the Working Conditions Act if their school cannot guarantee the corona safety measures.
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According to the cabinet, the 7 meter distance between secondary school students may be canceled from next Monday. As a result, all students can go to school together every day. This should be the case at all schools by XNUMX June at the latest.
That decision was taken on the basis of advice from the Outbreak Management Team. The OMT does state that further opening is only safe under the strict condition that the students are tested twice a week under supervision. If this does not happen, it will result in more infections, according to the OMT.
Safety at the schools is absolutely not guaranteed if the conditions of the OMT are not met
However, according to the education unions, schools can hardly guarantee that students will test themselves twice a week. “Many education workers are therefore concerned about their health,” says AObdirector Henrik de Moel. "Certainly now that not everyone has had their turn for even the first vaccination."
Working Conditions Act
The unions advise members who are concerned to take collective action and involve the participation council in this. Central to this action is that an appeal can be made to the Working Conditions Act. Because the cabinet's decision can never go beyond the fact that the employer is legally obliged to provide a safe workplace.
The unions have one standard letter and an roadmap Scattered. There also is a guide drawn up for participation councils and works councils, because these councils can play an important role in determining the conditions under which their school can continue to open safely.
Ventilation
Conditions that staff members and participation councils must pay attention to are, for example: is there a solid plan to test everyone twice a week? Does the school know how many students actually test themselves twice a week, is the ventilation in the classrooms in order, and so on.
Unsafe
If these kinds of conditions are not met, the unions say that this is an 'unsafe situation as referred to in Article 28 of the Working Conditions Act'. The staff member can then let it be known that he or her work at the school location 'will be interrupted for the duration of this unsafe situation'. 'It goes without saying that I will continue my work in a safe location in consultation with my manager as much as possible', the standard letter continues.
Everyone – students and teachers – would like to go back to school as soon as possible. But safe
“It is very unfortunate that we have to take these steps,” says AObdirector Henrik de Moel. “Everyone - pupils and teachers - would prefer to return to school as soon as possible. But it has to be done safely, because the virus is still around. And that safety is absolutely not guaranteed if the conditions of the OMT are not met. ”
Finally, the education unions are considering further legal steps. “I hope they are not necessary,” says De Moel. “But if we have to, we'll do it for sure. Our members can expect their unions to stand up for their interests and health. ”
