All courts across England and Wales must temporally close to
protect staff from escalating coronavirus cases, the Public and
Commercial Services (PCS) union has said.
The demand comes as legal bodies including the Criminal Bar
Association call for improved safety at courts and tribunals,
urging HMCTS to improve its testing regime to stem the flow of
increased infection rates.
Reports of Covid infection rates amongst court staff are above
the national average and 600 confirmed cases have been reported
across the HMCTS estate since 24th November.
Yet the department are being irresponsible by arguing for a
'business as usual' approach and insisting courts are safe when
they are not.
The union says critical cases which have to be heard within a
certain time frame could sit virtually.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "It is obvious that
Covid cases are at unacceptable levels and HMCTS staff are being
put at unnecessary risk while courts remain open.
"For HMCTS to claim that safety mechanisms are currently
sufficient is a distortion of the facts.
"Our members do an invaluable job keeping the justice system
going during this global pandemic but their safety is our union's
number one priority.
"The technology exists for crucial cases to be heard virtually
and this is what now needs to happen.
"We are not ruling out industrial action if HMCTS management fail
to act."
