John Swinney, Deputy First Minister, has replied to the STUC regarding Self Isolation Rules for Essential Workers.
John Swinney states:
“The guidance puts workers at the heart of the process and it was developed with their welfare in mind. This is a voluntary scheme and in line with our joint statement on fair work expectations during the transition out of lockdown, no workers should be placed under direct, or indirect pressure to return to work. This should enable employers and workers to make the decisions that are in everyone’s interest as we carefully reopen the economy. As such, any fully vaccinated worker who cannot reasonably isolate from ongoing exposure to Covid-19 should not be asked to return to work.”
His letter is in reply to STUC General Secretary Rozanne Foyer when she wrote to the First Minister expressing unions concerns about changes to self isolation rules: STUC raise self isolation concerns with First Minister The letter outlines a range of issues that unions have both with the new rules and the lack of consultation in the way they were drawn up.