Workers fear Delta variant at the office, labor unions say

The extra contagious Delta coronavirus variant spreading in the Netherlands is making employees even more concerned about their return to the office, trade unions CNV and FNV said to newspaper AD. Employees fear getting the coronavirus at work.

"In a short time we have gone from optimism about returning to the office to growing concerns about how safe it is at the office, CNV chairman Piet Fortuin said to the newspaper.

The advice to work from home was adjusted last month. As of June 26, employees can spend up to half their work week at the office, as long as they can maintain social distancing with their colleagues.

And while most employers are doing their best to make the office coronavirus safe, one in five employees indicated that they do not feel safe at the office, a survey by CNV earlier this month revealed. Many workers raised concerns about colleagues and employers not sticking to the coronavirus rules.

FNV also noticed more unrest among employees. People raised concerns about how to get to the office safely with public transport becoming increasingly crowded, FNV vice president Kitty Jong said tot he newspaper. There are also sectors where keeping a safe distance apart is not always possible.

"There is a lot of attention for employees, but they have the choice to work from home in consultation with the employer. There are many workers who do not have that choice. Think of all the people who work in factories, slaughterhouses, the food industry or in healthcare," Jong said.