The Information Communication Technology Union (ICTU) has called on employers in the sector to allow their employees to work from home amid the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa.

The union said on Friday that it has written a letter to employers “raising the alarm of the possible spread of the deadly coronavirus” and warning they should “think differently from the current culture of reporting to office needlessly”.

Major technology companies in the US, from Microsoft to Apple, have requested staff not to come to work unless it’s absolutely essential for them to do so. Twitter has gone a step further, making home work mandatory.

“The ICTU … implores employers to take a bold step in the interest of humanity, that workers should start working from home as soon as possible. The union accepts that this unprecedented move will both be challenging and necessary,” it said.

The union went further, arguing that schools should be shut, too, along with banning mass gatherings such as church events and even closing bars.

“It is the spirit of ubuntu that employers are called upon to act with speed to put measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. This may include working from home, giving workers masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and eye protectors, switching off air-conditioning systems and suspending biometric systems, and (giving) immune-booster supplements (to employees) and (considering) all safety necessities when workers cannot work from home.”  — (c) 2020 NewsCentral Media