TRADE unions have expressed concern over plans for East Lancashire councils to redeploy staff into new roles to keep essential services running during the coronavirus outbreak.

The three largest unions in the country – Unison, Unite and GMB – have warned councils against moving staff without proper training and equipment.

Karen Leonard, GMB national officer, said: “These are skilled roles which demand a specific set of talents.

“You can’t just thrust people around willy-nilly as though all local Government jobs are interchangeable.

“Any role changes should be a reasonable alternative that matches the skill set and knowledge as closely as possible.

“Everyone wants to help, but safety has to be a priority. Let’s apply some common sense.”

Last week it was announced that Blackburn with Darwen (BwD) Council and Lancashire County Council are redeploying non-essential staff into key areas to keep essential services running during the virus outbreak.

Jon Richards, head of local government at Unison, said: “People around the UK have shown they’re willing to help out in any way they can during these unprecedented times.

“But any redeployment of staff must first be done on a voluntary basis, bearing in mind the employees’ skills.

“Where health and safety is a vital concern, such as refuse collection, staff must be given proper training and personal protection equipment to ensure they’re able to carry out the work safely.”

Unite’s national officer for local authorities, Jim Kennedy, told the Lancashire Telegraph that councils should only be switching tasks on a voluntary basis and “physical capability assessments” should be carried out to ensure staff are capable of fulfilling the roles.

Responding to the warnings Denise Park, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We understand the unions’ concerns in regards to this, but we are going above and beyond to help our dedicated staff fit into new roles and would not place someone in a new role they are not comfortable with.

“We have strong processes in place for this and we are implementing full and proper training for all staff. These are unprecedented times and we are working together with all people in the council to get through it the best we can.”