Employer refusing to close

MoonChild91

I work for a HE institution (I can't name who, as I'm likely to get the sack if I do) which is refusing to close to students despite government advice. We don't teach any of the subjects the government has specifically listed like medicine, dentistry etc, and the vast majority of our courses are practical arts-based ones.
It's now 2 days since the government lockdown announcement and we have had no information whatsoever from senior management, and no emails or information has been sent to students. They were emailed previously to say that those with exceptional circumstances could access the buildings to use facilities such as the art studios and the main library, which hasn't been updated. We aren't allowed to check what students circumstances are so in reality any of them can just walk in no questions asked. Students are still coming onto the campus, there is no booking system in place, and they aren't required to have a covid test before doing so, and we've been told not to stop them. I'm unsure how this is legal. 1/5 of our students had to isolate in October, when the strain of covid was less contagious, so it feels particularly irresponsible and dangerous to both students and staff to do this now. Many of them have returned from London and the home counties, where the new strain is rife.  
Management have all started working from home, but anyone who has a student facing role (I work in administration) is expected to come in, and I feel utterly abandoned. We've been treated badly all year - no annual pay increase, annual leave was taken from us when the institution decided to close early for Christmas, no support from management, threatening emails from HR. Staff who are either vulnerable themselves or live with vulnerable people were made to come in, even if they were able to do their job from home. This is the final straw for me, we are being used as cannon fodder with no reasoning or explanation. Part of my job is also answering phone calls and constantly dealing with students and parents ringing up asking what's going on without being able to give them any information is becoming increasingly stressful and we're increasingly dealing with parents becoming angry and borderline abusive which is a lot to handle. I was repeatedly shouted at and put in difficult situations during the last spike in October and November, and the amount of abuse I've had to handle over the phone since then is not ok. 
Is there anyone I could contact about the way my employer is acting? Unions are not recognised by management, and whilst they're trying to help there's little they can do. I've though about contacting our MP or the council, but would this be worthwhile? I should perhaps mention we have an incredibly strict whistle-blowing policy which I am quite scared of breaking. 

Apintplease

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

BookmobileBadGirl

I suspect your bosses, like all those in HE, are waiting for the clarification from DfE about what to do. We have been waiting for it since Boris’ announcement on Monday 

MoonChild91

Every other institution seems to have decided to close its doors in the meantime however - I don't know a single person who works at another institution who is being made to work on campus, especially with students. Doesn't seem remotely safe. 

[Deleted User]

Apintplease said:

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

There are no tiers at the moment. Full national lockdown. 

Apintplease

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

There are no tiers at the moment. Full national lockdown. 

re read what I wrote

Apintplease

MoonChild91 said:

Every other institution seems to have decided to close its doors in the meantime however - I don't know a single person who works at another institution who is being made to work on campus, especially with students. Doesn't seem remotely safe. 

Nursery school teachers dont feel safe either

Nor do supermarket workers, those that work in manufacturing and a mirad of other work places were we still have to turn up for work

MoonChild91

Apintplease said:

Nursery school teachers dont feel safe either

Nor do supermarket workers, those that work in manufacturing and a mirad of other work places were we still have to turn up for work

I'm not implying that they don't and this isn't a game of 'who has it worse'. I don't believe nurseries should be open when schools aren't, and supermarket and factory workers certainly deserve more credit than they're getting, as do numerous other people like delivery drivers and postmen and transport workers for a start.

What I am saying is that government guidance has advised HE institutions to close and this one is seemingly trying to find whatever loophole possible to stay open which isn't safe, and in my opinion immoral - especially in the fact that they can't inform staff or students of what is going on. We've all seen the effects that student populations had on covid cases in the Autumn, these institutions are a risk to everyone who works and studies there and the areas surrounding them. 

[Deleted User]

Apintplease said:

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

There are no tiers at the moment. Full national lockdown. 

re read what I wrote

What tiers are you referring to then? 

Apintplease

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

There are no tiers at the moment. Full national lockdown. 

re read what I wrote

What tiers are you referring to then? 

What bit of the government haven't updated and the rulings are still working on the tiers is it you dont understand? Or are you just being obtuse?

We here in NI are still out on a limb with schools and churches, until they finalise their rulings for this new lockdown we are still following what you had as tiers and we had as our previous lockdown

poppy12345

Apintplease said:

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

MarkN88 said:

Apintplease said:

I dont think the Gvt has updated the guidelines as yet for HE and are still working on the Tiers rulings

There are no tiers at the moment. Full national lockdown. 

re read what I wrote

What tiers are you referring to then? 

What bit of the government haven't updated and the rulings are still working on the tiers is it you dont understand? Or are you just being obtuse?

We here in NI are still out on a limb with schools and churches, until they finalise their rulings for this new lockdown we are still following what you had as tiers and we had as our previous lockdown

Here in England the Tiers have been replaced with a full lockdown.