The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has filed a formal grievance against convenience food producer Greencore after it failed to tell staff that a manager had tested positive for coronavirus at its Northampton site.
As reported by the BBC, the union said that managers at Greencore had been informed but not production staff.
The positive test was carried out on the 1st May and there has yet to be another confirmed case at the site yet, despite the company sending a text to all workers saying that the manager had: “been working on the shop floor mixing with production staff, potentially spreading the virus.”
President of the BFAWU, Andrew Williams, said the ordeal had caused ‘unnecessary stress’ for the workers, adding that they are unhappy that only management staff were advised to take a test.
In response to the grievance, a Greencore spokesperson said: “We immediately contact traced everyone who has recently come into contact with the colleague and they are now also self-isolating as a precautionary measure.
“We have a range of self-distancing measures in place within our facilities and are doing everything that we can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees.”
The company, which is one of the largest sandwich producers in the UK, said it had followed Government advice and has encouraged members of staff to register for a test if they experience any symptoms, while also stating that areas in which the manager had operated had been deep-cleaned.
