The CTU is welcoming the announcement from government of new COVID guidelines for critical workers during the omicron outbreak, said CTU President Richard Wagstaff. The CTU believes that high levels of worker engagement will be critical to ensure the scheme operates as safely as possible, to help ensure buy in from workers.

"Ensuring workers’ health and safety should be the priority in any workplace, and this announcement makes clear that normal health and safety law will continue to apply. We would expect any business that intends to operate under the announced scheme to be planning ahead now. They should be undertaking a fresh risk assessment that includes their workers (and their unions) to ensure that all reasonably practicable control measures to minimise the introduced risks will be in place.

"The announcement also sets out a high bar for workers who are considered to be in a bubble of one. Most workers have some interaction with suppliers, customers, or the public. Unless appropriate health and safety mechanisms can be put in place, workers such as delivery drivers would not be considered as working in a bubble of one.

"The CTU welcomes the requirement for businesses to register if they want to continue to operate as a critical service. We would expect responsible employers to consider carefully before they opt-in to this programme. The use of Rapid Antigen Test as a means of allowing workers to return to work should only be undertaken for genuinely critical roles. Workplaces should not seek to increase the level of risk that workers contact COVID-19 unnecessarily.

"Protecting workers from COVID-19 is also about making sure that workers have access to the right kinds of support. It’s important that workplace arrangements are in place to support workers to get vaccinated, get tested and remain isolated if required. That means removing any barriers or disincentives, like cuts to pay, and ensuring workers are encouraged to work safely. Employers should be proactively working with employees to make sure that they are aware of the support they can gain from the governments Leave Support Scheme and the Short-Term Absence Payment," says Richard Wagstaff

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