The Union is concerned healthcare workers will slip through the cracks when changes to the vaccine rollout is announced.
Workers in these frontline healthcare sectors were told repeatedly by the Australian Government that they were in the 1A group and would receive the vaccine as soon as possible, but months into the rollout large numbers of aged care workers remain unvaccinated while only a tiny percentage of disability support workers have received the jab.
Ensuring that the workers who care for our vulnerable aged care and disability residents are supported to be vaccinated is critical. We know from previous outbreaks that it is the highly insecure and casual workers in these sectors that unwittingly introduced the disease into these vulnerable settings.
The ACTU understands that changes are likely to be made to the rollout at today’s National Cabinet meeting. Unions are concerned that some changes may risk further delaying the vaccination of workers in aged care and disability support.
Any change to the vaccine rollout must ensure that these workers – many of whom are in insecure work – do not have to give up shifts and income to get vaccinated, or in the event that they have side effects which prevent them from working. We must remember the lessons learnt in providing support for insecure workers who needed to get tested or isolate at home when recalibrating the vaccination program.
“Any changes to the vaccine rollout must provide certainty for frontline aged care and disability support workers and be communicated clearly to all affected workers.” said ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien.
“We cannot create a system which asks insecure, low paid workers to choose between getting vaccinated and getting paid. The Morrison Government must ensure that anyone who needs to take time off work to get a vaccination or to recover from any routine side-effects is supported. Failure to do this will only increase hesitancy.”
“The vaccine rollout is lagging months behind schedule and the workers who kept us safe through the worst of the pandemic deserve to know when and how they will receive the vaccines they have been promised by the Federal Government.”
