Workers at the DVLA in Swansea have been sharing their concerns about still having to go into work at the offices in Clase despite the UK coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
Around 6,000 staff work at DVLA which is based in Swansea and one worker claimed that many staff were having to go into work against their will when they felt it was unnecessary.
A Swansea MP has also questioned the numbers still in work there.
The DVLA has said vulnerable staff and those able to work from home are doing so, but others are required to be on site to play an 'essential role' in keeping 'the country moving'.
One worker, who did not want to be named, claimed: "People who suffer with mental health problems have to go in, I found a colleague crying on the floor having an anxiety attack today after she was offered unpaid leave if she wants to go home.
"We have to walk past people on a daily basis, the hand santiser is nearly finished, staff are distraught, everyone is in a mess.
"There's about 300 staff left working here, it's the worst thing I've ever seen."
Another worker, who also asked not to be named, said he didn't think that everyone should be allowed to work in the building.
"We are all going through the same doors and touching the same handles," he said.
"It's crazy, there is hand sanitiser around but not on every floor, I understand that we are essential workers but there's no need to have that many staff there and it's hard to keep distance.
"I'm not happy at all and I don't think that we should all be working in the building.
"You don't know who or how many people staff have come into contact with."
Welsh Labour MP Carolyn Harris also took to social media to share her concerns about the number of people working at the site, leading to several responses from people who were worried.
She said: "Increasingly worried about the number of constituents still working at the @DVLAgovuk — many of whom have been in touch. I have been trying to get a call with the Chief Executive for the past 48 hours but have had no joy. I will be contacting @grantshapps today about this."
One woman tweeted her claims, saying: "There is not enough desks to follow the 2 meter rule, over 5,000 people work in the building, many currently off sorting childcare but when they have to return it will be full again. Hand sanitiser is always empty, we all have to use the same lifts, pass scanners and doors."
While a man claimed: "My partner has been told that she should return to DVLA to work or take unpaid leave, even though she has 3 members of her household in the vulnerable group. The office cleanliness is below par, and the toilets are unclean. Hand sanitizer dispensers are fitted, however, no fluids."
It is understood that on site the DVLA are following government advice to ensure social distancing measures can be followed with regular cleaning taking place with hand sanitiser and desk wipes available.
A DVLA spokesman said: “Our priority is to keep our staff safe but we also have an essential role to play in keeping the country moving. This means some staff are on site, for example, where our focus is to help keep HGV drivers and the emergency services on the road.
“In line with Government’s advice, all of our staff in roles that enable them to work from home are doing so. In addition, those who are pregnant, have a health condition that could make them vulnerable, or are over the age of 70 are also at home.”
On a separate issue, some DVLA staff have also claimed that they are being refused childcare in Swansea schools despite the Government listing them as key workers.
One worker who asked not to be named said: "The Government has designated all DVLA Staff in Swansea as key workers in respect of the vital role they play in keeping the country moving.
"This theoretically allows DVLA staff to access key worker school placements for their children on the same terms as other designated key workers.
"However, Swansea Council refuse to accept this designation and are refusing DVLA staff access to key worker school placements. This is putting DVLA Staff in an incredibly difficult position."
It is understood that the DVLA is in contact with the local education authorities to see what can be done for key workers.
Swansea Council confirmed that in the first instance, essential workers included:
- NHS staff
- Blue light/emergency services staff
- Prison workers
- Social care workers
- School staff
- Involved in food production and delivery.
The council said it would look to expand these to others identified by the government as capacity increased.
Latest figures released on Friday, March 27, show that six more patients with coronavirus have died in Wales, taking the total number of deaths to 34.
There are now 921 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Wales, according to Public Health Wales, after 180 more people tested positive for the virus.
