Coronavirus: In troubled times, lack of trust threatens social contract

The mettle of every Australian is being tested during this modern-day lockdown created by the coronavirus pandemic.

A police officer watches on as people queueing for a delivery of toilet paper, paper towel and pasta at a Coles supermarket in Sydney, Picture: James Gourley/AAP

It is almost visible, this awful lack of trust, creeping through the streets, seeping through the cracks in our doors and windows like a chilly winter mist.

There is a lack of trust in our government, and its carefully scripted announcements — ­always based on the latest medical advice, which is constantly changing, as new information is always coming to hand.

There is a lack of trust in the authorities to do their jobs and keep us safe. Police are no longer alcohol-and drug-testing drivers on the side of the roads, for ­instance, but instead patrolling ­supermarkets to keep panicked citizens calm and in order.

There is a lack of trust in our neighbours and friends, who could be infected, and cough in our ­direction, spraying droplets in the air. There is a lack of trust in children, little Petri dishes at the best of times, now believed to be asymptomatic, silent carriers.

And as the virus advances its march through our country, there are our leaders, always, half a step behind.

The latest action or guideline is announced regularly, in response to the latest data. Yet a pandemic is an emergency, and in an emergency, the cautious and measured response, the incremental ratcheting up of measures, won’t work.

This type of response is too slow. It reacts to the latest information, which means the virus, with its incubation period, is ­always a week or two ahead. We are in an eternal game of catch-up and everyone knows it.

There is no fight here, there is only an attempt to mount an organised, dignified surrender. This is why people are panicking and acting out.

The lack of trust is why the shops are being stripped, and will continue to be stripped, no matter how crossly the Prime Minister tells us all off on the television.

The lack of trust is why children are being kept home from school, and the lack of trust is why working people are anxious about their incomes, and bracing themselves for the worst.

For employees, on top of concern about being infected, the dreadful question hangs in the air — how long do I have before I lose my job?

At the coalface, anecdotal evidence shows that in some workplaces unaffected by the virus, individual workers are being dismissed, with the virus being given as the reason.

In most workplaces, there are those seen as the troublemakers, non-contributors or workplace jerks. These people have long been tolerated, believed to be too hard to sack. The virus provides the perfect cover to hand out dismissal letters, and that opportunity is not being missed.

In workplaces affected by the virus, with lack of demand for product or service, mass redundancies are occurring. In the panic and confusion, businesses are paying out staff pre-emptively, with redundancy packages, when they could instead be standing them down for a period of time, as is their legal right.

A redundancy is defined as a situation where work is no longer required to be performed, by anyone, in a permanent sense. Where it is suspected that the loss of work is temporary, and driven by matters beyond the employer’s control, a period of stand-down is more appropriate.

Unless bound by an enterprise agreement that says otherwise, the Fair Work Act allows businesses hit by matters beyond their control to stand down workers, without pay.

Where the loss of work is likely to be transitory, this is a better ­option than letting an entire workforce go. There is no need to send people to the unemployment queue if they will be needed again as the impact of the virus recedes.

Qantas has led the way here, showing good leadership. It has stood down two-thirds of its workforce until at least the end of May. During this period, for income, the company said in a statement that “employees will be able to draw down on annual and long-service leave and additional support mechanisms will be introduced ­including leave at half-pay and early access to long-service leave”.

A stand-down allows businesses to access their hefty leave liabilities, and clear them from the balance sheet. This is something business owners will always say they long to do.

A period of stand-down cannot go on forever though, it must be eventually brought to a close. Using case law as a guide, seven months was ruled to be too long, and redundancy packages were ordered as a remedy.

All things pass, and this awful period will too. In the meantime, business owners and employees alike must try to trust each other. For workers, flexibility is vital — this is not the time to stand on your digs and refuse to perform tasks that might not appear in the job description. Everyone needs to make themselves useful, because those who provide a useful service will always find themselves in ­demand.