Royal Mail worker slams employer after city centre sorting office remains open – despite claims fifteen staff members have contracted Covid-19

A post office worker says staff are being put at risk after claims fifteen people working in a city centre sorting office have tested positive for Covid-19.

The Royal Mail centre on Oldham Road has remained open for business, despite a number of staff having contracted the virus in the last week.

A member of staff, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had not been told to self-isolate, even though he had been in direct contact with those infected.

He said some workers had been contacted by the government’s track and trace system, but other members of staff had not.

The worker told the M.E.N that when he asked a manager about whether he should isolate, he was told he could, but that he would not be paid.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said a number of staff had tested positive for coronavirus, but insisted the company takes the health and safety of its employees “very seriously.”

They claimed the Manchester Delivery Office had undergone an ‘enhanced’ clean, and have implemented a number of preventative measures.

“We now have 15 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the last seven days at the sorting office,” the worker said.

“Bars and restaurants are closing temporarily if one person contracts it, so why is it not the same for us.”

The worker says staff were informed when a colleague tested positive for the virus, but only some people have been told to self-isolate.

“What is annoying is the way they have decided who can go home and who can’t – we should all be sent home,” he said.

“We have been told we will only get sent home if we are contacted by the track and trace system.

“Some members of staff have had calls but a lot of the time there have been people like myself who have spent more time with that infected person, than the ones that have been told to go home.

“It feels like some people are just looking out for their mates, and not naming everyone they had come into contact with.”

The employee says several people have returned to work at the Royal Mail sorting office this week after months of shielding.

“Some people are coming from shielding after living like prisoners for months, only for all this to kick off,” he said.

“They have been told they have to come in or they don’t get paid and so they are frightened to death. Some thing needs doing about it.

“We are up to 15 cases and they haven’t done anything about it – it’s a massive cover up.”

The staff member said when he asked a manager if he should self-isolate, he was told he could go home, but that he would not be paid.

He claims the sorting office only arranged a deep clean of the office, following pressure from staff.

“After the first confirmed case it took two days for the person’s work area to be cleaned after constant pressure from the staff,” he said.

“Once it had been confirmed only the two people they work directly next to where told to go home and isolate, even though dozens of people in multiple work areas would have had contact.

“Staff are becoming increasingly worried about their own health and that of their families.

“We are handling parcels that are going to be delivered to the general public so there’s every danger we are spreading it to them as well.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the local communities in which we operate very seriously.

“Following positive tests for coronavirus at the Manchester Delivery Office, we have carried out an enhanced clean of the building. Working with our people, we have resolved any areas of concern. All colleagues are working as normal.