There are two new cases of Covid-19 and one person has died of coronavirus in the last 24 hours. PM Jacinda Ardern said Microsoft's announcement to build a data centre in New Zealand served as a signal to the world that we are open for business.
Employees at fast-food restaurants are working in fear they could face backlash if they dob in their employer for breaching alert level 3 guidelines, a union claims.
A plea was also made to WorkSafe to seize and review CCTV footage to catch non-compliant workplaces.
Unite Union claimed members who workedin the fast-food industry reported that a number of restrictions and guidelines were being broken every day.
McDonald's customers were encouraged to use paywave and workers are wearing gloves to reduce contact during the drive-thru process. Photo / Michael Craig
Many of the measures were not being followed and members also said glove change and hand washing schedules were not being followed, Unite Union said.
Additionally, it was alleged eftpos machines were not being sanitised after each use and cash was being accepted for ready-to-eat customers.
However, the union did acknowledge companies were starting to listen about how to keep their workers safe.
"Of course, it will be two weeks too late, with hundreds of thousands of customers served in clear breach of level 3 social distancing," Hehir said.
"We will soon find out how much damage was done to the progress made against Covid-19 under level 4."
The lack of use of mobile phones in McDonald's workplaces had always been a health and safety consideration due to hazards like grills and cooking vats.
And the safety of staff and its customers was the number one priority for McDonald's before it reopened, spokesman Simon Kenny said.
"As with all businesses that have opened under alert level 3 we are being pragmatic and flexible, making adjustments to how we operate," he said.
"We have teams meeting several times a day and franchisees and senior staff are feeding back live from restaurants on practical learnings and best practice.
"Staff also use our PeopleSafe health and safety system to report any incidents, concerns or ideas."
Throughout the lockdown period and since reopening under level 3, McDonald's had sent over 30 briefing and information packs to franchises and restaurants as plans based on updated details, learnings and official guidance were refined.
"Further enhancements to service procedures have been implemented since reopening as analyse, listen, learn and act," Kenny said.
"This week there have been more changes with managing payments, and how food is handed to customers in drive-thru, or if a car is parked.
"We also have a staff member to oversee physical distancing, sanitation and hygiene, with hourly and per shift checklists, spot checks and liaising with staff to get real-time feedback."
Elsewhere, Unite Union also took a swipe at New Zealand's health and safety regulator WorkSafe.
This queue at McDonald's in Akoranga Dr in Northcote caused a traffic jam. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A number of level 3 breaches had been reported to WorkSafe - with photographic evidence - by Unite Union but it was yet to hear back.
"They just don't seem to care. The message to businesses is 'do what you like because no-one is going to stop you'," Hehir said.
"This is a very dangerous message at a point in time when we have a chance of effectively containing a deadly virus."
However, a spokesperson for WorkSafe told the Herald they had contacted Unite Union last week about their concerns and offered reassurance they would investigate.
On Monday, WorkSafe inspectors carried out 80 unannounced inspections of fast food outlets across the country to review their Covid-19 compliance performance.
The visits resulted in 11 enforcement actions, centred on insufficient measures to ensure physical distancing of staff and people picking up orders, measures being in place for pickups but not followed and the sanitation of eftpos machines.
"WorkSafe intends to contact Unite Union this week to follow-up on concerns and talk through actions taken over the last week," the spokesperson said.
