By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Government is not in a position to withdraw its policy decision regarding the vaccination status of public sector workers.
This was the statement made by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi on Thursday.
He said he met with the President of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget and other unions on the matter concerning the vaccination of workers in the public sector.
The AG said given the grave situation in Trinidad and Tobago where there were no longer spaces at morgues to contain the dead because of Covid-19, the policy had to remain despite strong opposition.
Al-Rawi was speaking at a media conference to address the concerns of the unions many of whom are against such measures.
The attorney general said there were two conditions outlined by Roget which the other unions unilaterally agreed to which the Government could not adhere to.
One, the government should withdraw the policy immediately.
Two was that, in writing, Government needed to state that the Covid-19 vaccine did not allow the virus to be spread. Al-Rawi maintained that there was no such data to prove that in T&T or anywhere in the world, however, the data has been showing that far less vaccinated persons were showing up at the critical care departments in hospitals.
“One would have to wonder how we are ever going to meet that second condition,” he said.
Al- Rawi said, each individual union would have its collective bargaining agreements with employers and the unions attempted to factor in a vaccination policy within such agreements.
However, he said, “The only way to treat with this is to have a law superior to the bargaining process.”
He said, “The Government is not saying to people that you have to take the vaccine. We are saying to those in the public sector that if you want to continue to work with the public sector on normal terms and conditions. That vaccinated people will be accepted in the public sector.”
“Why? The Government is the largest employer. If the public sector is vaccinated, we will be removing many of the persons who go into high dependency unit or who go into the Intensive Care Unit, we will be removing them from the bed space.”
Al Rawi said, “You have a choice to not take the vaccine. There is a consequence on the work side.”
Roget said he does not trust the Government and the data being provided, which Al-Rawi said he found strange because Roget himself was vaccinated but seemed to be preventing others from obtaining one.
Al-Rawi said the Government was willing to work with JTUM should they provide other workable alternatives jointly.
“We do not have the time to negotiate every single collective agreement,” he said.
The Attorney General pleaded for all politics to be put aside in dealing with the deadly virus.
“I am pleading for a return to common sense. I am pleading with the representatives lay down their politics.”
He gave a personal story of an employee at his office who lost her grandfather because an ambulance took an hour to arrive because it was transporting other patients.
Al-Rawi also made it clear that his comments concerning Roget was not a personal attack.
Referring to teachers, Al-Rawi said they will operate under the present circumstances, however, when the law takes effect, they will have to comply.
And in closing, Al-Rawi wished everyone a happy and holy Christmas.
