Massive cost of ice to North-east firms

Jan 8 2010 by Jez Davison, Evening Gazette

Sedgefield Racecourse has had to cancel two races because of the weather - resulting in a six-figure loss of revenue.

General manager Jill Williamson said only four out of the company’s 11 staff could make it into work on Wednesday.

“It was quite fraught - we were abandoning races and we needed all hands on deck,” she said.

“We would never want to jeopardise the safety of our employees and we are advising staff to take annual leave if they cannot get into work.”

She said the company may consider setting up home-working facilities if the poor weather continued, although the nature of the job meant that staff generally needed to be based on site.

A poll by employment law firm Peninsula said 44% of employees had decided to work from home on Wednesday alone.

Unions have urged firms not to dock the pay of workers caught up in the chaos or force them to take holiday, warning this could cause unnecessary resentment to employees kept away from work through no fault of their own.

Kevin Rowan, Northern Regional secretary of the TUC, said most local companies were likely to pay staff who could not get to their place of work.

“Employers will accept that this is beyond the control of workers,” he said. “Employees have got to take reasonable steps to get into work - but they also have to take reasonable steps to protect their health and well-being.”

The bad weather has been a boost for some businesses, however, with lubricant specialist WD-40 expecting January sales to be 300% higher on the same month in 2009.