Face masks 'should be mandatory in shops and supermarkets' says workers' union

The Mandate Trade Union, which represents retail, bar and administrative workers, has called for face coverings to be made compulsory in shops and supermarkets in Ireland.

In a statement issued this afternoon (Wednesday), the union said it wanted the measure introduced to help reduce the risk of retail staff contracting Covid-19.

Its General Secretary, John Douglas, called on the Government to engage with the union to discuss and agree protocols for the implementation of the mandatory face coverings.

"Decisions to protect the lives of retail workers must be taken without unnecessary delay and following direct consultation with the workers' representative union, Mandate," said Mr Douglas.

"Yesterday the UK Health Minister announced mandatory measures from July 24 to protect shop workers who, he worryingly said, ‘can be up to 75% more likely to die from coronavirus than the general population.’

"Therefore it is imperative we act collectively to ascertain the exact high level of risk posed to shop workers in Ireland by the spread of coronavirus, as well as acting swiftly to ensure mandatory face covering measures are implemented and compliance ensured for the protection of shop workers health," Mr Douglas stated.

He said a decision to make face coverings mandatory in retail settings should include exemptions for health reasons and that in certain circumstances, such as staff working behind screens, the requirement could be waived.

“We are very clear that workers must be free from forcing public compliance on the wearing of face coverings and that employers must put in place measures to protect staff against abusive behaviour in that regard," he said.

"The wearing of face coverings is not a substitute for alcohol based hand washing and the continuing enforcement of social distancing measures.

"Wearing face coverings in shops and supermarkets should be seen as a reasonable mitigation against the unprecedented risk posed by the Coronavirus to those brave front line workers," he concluded.