The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) has accused Dischem management of tossing the health and safety of its workers out the window after one of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus.
The union disclosed that an employee at Dischem’s ethical Department, at its Midrand warehouse, tested positive for coronavirus. But it said management urged employees, who had contact with the infected employee, return back to work, instead of advising them to go into self-isolation until they are tested and cleared of the virus.
The union, in a statement issued this afternoon, said merchandise in the store was now at risk of contamination, which might lead to staff and customers contracting the virus.
“NUPSAW is disturbed to learn that workers who were in close contact with the affected person were told to go home for the day but requested to report back the following day, without putting protocol measures and having a risk assessment to ensure that health and safety regulations are placed before work resumes,” reads the statement.
The union has also made several demands, including that all workers be tested before the warehouse reopens and that those test must be conducted regularly.
It also said that those who test positive should be isolated at home with full pay.
NUPSAW also urged that there should be no victimisation, especially those against those who refuse to work before the tests are done.
It also called for the cleaning and disinfecting of all areas of the warehouse, and that risk assessments should be done with workers.
The union, in the same statement, further the threatened to report the matter to the department of employment and labour to urge them to ensure adherence of the regulations.
