Union offers Monkeypox guide

The UNISON public services union has published a new guide for branches on monkeypox. This aims to help them discuss the infection with employers in order to ensure workplaces are safe and members receive appropriate support in terms of staff guidance, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), and full sick pay for anyone who contracts monkeypox. 


The guidance explains that monkeypox is a rare infection caused by a virus in the same family of viruses as smallpox, although it is much less severe. Anyone who comes into close contact with someone who has monkeypox could potentially get the virus, as it spreads through close skin-to-skin contact. It can also be spread by touching fabrics – such as clothing, bedding, or towels – which have been used by someone with the virus, and through coughs or sneezes. 


“The government has been slow to react in providing clear guidance for workers and their employers on this issue across a wide range of sectors,” said UNISON national secretary Donna Rowe-Merriman. “UNISON’s new bargaining guide delivers clarity to enable members to work safely.”


There remain serious questions to be asked in relation to government’s handling of the vaccine rollout, she added.


The new guide is available from the UNISON website.