For millions of us, the coronavirus has turned life and work upside down. But many key workers are keeping going as normal, keeping the country ticking over while most of us stay indoors.
Adrian Gale is one of the army of local service workers keeping the job up as normal — albeit at a bit more of a distance to usual.
He’s spent the last 31 years in Ipswich Borough Council’s Parks and Cemeteries Department, keeping the town looking trimmed and tidy.
“About 15 years ago I was asked if I would be willing to take on a temporary role as a technician grasscutter while they tried to find a replacement for someone who had just left. Here I am all these years later still doing it.”
Adrian spends around nine months a year on a three-deck mower, cutting the highway verges, parks, cemeteries, open spaces and schools in Ipswich.
“Many changes have happened in these 15 years with less staff, bigger machines, more work but I really do enjoy what I do.”
His job has largely stayed the same since the pandemic hit after the council realised that keeping the town open and tidy would be important for residents’ mental health. Some staff have been given extra training in gravedigging, crematorium roles or on bin lorries so they can be redeployed when needed.
“I’m regularly coming into contact with the public, from dog walkers to people doing their daily exercise around the streets and estates of Ipswich.
“On a few occasions I’ve had members of the public give a little clap and thumbs up as I go past, while some of the older residents who I’d normally stop to have a chat with show their appreciation from the confines of their homes.
“Sometimes this maybe the only people they will see in that day and I think it keeps them going knowing someone is out there still keeping the town tidy.”
Adrian on his mower and (top) taking part in the clap for carers with colleagues last week
Adrian says it’s important that we don’t forget the important work done by so many in our local services.
“I do feel that sometimes parks staff get a rough deal. Everybody mentions the NHS, carers, emergency services, supermarket workers and refuse workers — and so they should as they are all doing a marvellous job in these trying times — but it’s like nobody ever sees or appreciates our guys working out there to keep the town looking good.”
As UNISON branch chair and a local health and safety rep, he’s seen how important workplace organisation has been.
“I have experienced a rise in enquiries from union members in these very worrying times. But with the help from the branch secretary and management all have been sorted out to members’ satisfaction.”
He was involved at an early stage with new risk assessments and helped ensure that gloves, visors, aprons, cleaning products and hand sanitiser quickly got to the staff that needed.
“Depots brought in staggered start and leave-off times to limit the number of staff in at any one time. And as the weather has been lovely, we all sit outside keeping to the socially distancing rules having our lunchbreak.”
While Adrian and his colleagues have been hard at work, UNISON and the Local Government Association have continued talks over pay. Last week the LGA presented a ‘final offer’ of just 2.75%.
“The last 10 years of austerity has really hit local government workers hard with many years of either 0% or 1% pay increases and the last two-year deal only worth 2% a year” says Adrian.
“2.75% is better but still leaves us very undervalued. Perhaps better press for all public-sector workers through this pandemic might make the public see we do deserve to be treated better and the employers making a better offer.”
