DO not punish unvaccinated staff.
This was a warning by Second Vice President of the Banking Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) Jason Brown in a release on Thursday.
Brown told Republic Bank Limited (RBL) to obtain proper industrial relations protocols for their Covid-19 policies for the intended full return of staff in September.
His response comes after a virtual meeting on Wednesday between BIGWU and RBL on the return of 2,641 workers to the bank’s 44 branches nationwide.
Brown said, “The union was clear to remind the bank that a return to the workplace should not be vaccine dependent only, but rather on the basis that the actual workspace can safely accommodate the necessary distancing between persons as both vaccinated and unvaccinated may contract and spread the virus to those with or without the vaccine.”
He claimed that bank was compelling unvaccinated workers to pay up to $2,400 per month for PCR tests to enter the bank’s premises.
Brown added, “Threats of disciplinary action and the removal of discretionary paid sick leave all add to the prejudice contemplated against the unvaccinated, while those who agree to the jab may receive incentives.”
He said, “Institutionalised discrimination against workers is wholeheartedly rejected by the union.”
He said “The union is still willing to support any reasonable compromises that do not create additional hardship and stress in the workplace. “
Brown said the union will corporate any of the measures globally accepted in this fight against the virus, which includes the three W’s and the vaccination as an additional fourth layer of protection.
He said, “The deep disagreement emerges when the billion dollar Republic Bank wants to impose the costly PCR test to the same workers who were paid an initial incentive to come out to work when most were told to stay at home during the most perilous period of the pandemic.”
Brown said, “The Bank can boast that they have already exceeded $1billion in profit and still have three more months of profit to declare for 2021. However, they remain evasive and cannot credibly respond to what has changed to make management now turn away from their ‘heroes’ and threaten their earnings and by extension the well-being of their families in these challenging times.”
Why all the fuss over the vaccine? Look at the worldwide stats. There are more ppl surviving the virus than dying from it. It can be treated. As you feel symptoms start taking stuff. Just like if you feel the flu or allergies coming on you take medication then. But you don’t hear any government saying that!!!