Unions are calling on the NSW and Commonwealth governments to provide a minimum half day of paid leave for all workers to get vaccinated, as the implications of Australia's bungled vaccine rollout become more disruptive and expensive.
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Morey, said the NSW Government was the nation's largest employer and Premier Gladys Berejiklian could lead the way by introducing 'vax leave' for all NSW Government employees. The Premier should then make the case for vax leave at the National Cabinet and push to have it funded for all casual and contract workers, as well as making it a right for all permanent employees.
"Every barrier and impediment to vaccination must be removed as soon as possible," said Mark Morey, Secretary of Unions NSW. "There are many things slowing the vaccine rollout, but one element is the cost of missing work, especially for people who are insecurely employed and on modest incomes.
"As things currently stand, employees have no right to get vaccinated on work time. Why are we creating more barriers to vaccination? Workers can't even use their sick leave to get vaccinated under the national employment standards. This needs to be fixed, immediately.
"Gladys Berejiklian can get the ball rolling today. She can instruct all department heads to provide a half day of paid 'vax leave' to the one in ten NSW workers who are employed by her Government.
"But we can and must go further. We know that contract and casual workers have often been overlooked in the COVID response. The Federal Government must fund a half day of pay for all those insecurely employed workers to get the jab. These are people in industries such as transport, care, food delivery and other tactile occupations.
"It was revealed this week that only one-third of employees in aged care have been vaccinated. And the current Sydney outbreak stems back to an unvaccinated Bondi limousine airport driver. Rather than blaming these workers, perhaps its time to make it easier and more attractive to get vaccinated. That would give true meaning to the idea that 'we are all in this together'."
Mark Morey 0425 231 812
Nick Lucchinelli 0422 229 032
