The Australian Council of Trade Unions has written to Prime Minister Morrison to call on his government to provide two days special paid leave per vaccination for all workers in aged care and disability support services, as well as ensuring that all workers are paid for travel to and from getting vaccinated.
Disability care, in particular, is “characterised by high levels of insecure and casual work”, meaning many workers may not have access to paid leave.
The letter to the Prime Minister also calls on the Morrison Government to honour its promise to provide in-workplace vaccinations for aged and disability care workers, as well as providing a public information campaign to make sure that working people have the information they need about the vaccine and how they can get it.
The ACTU has been in constant communication with the Prime Minister and his Ministers since the start of the vaccine rollout, offering assistance and campaigning for the support which we know is necessary to ensure that insecure workers in aged and disability support get vaccinated.
Instead of working constructively with workers’ representatives the Morrison Government has walked away from its commitment to in-workplace vaccinations and has attempted to shift blame for its failed vaccine rollout onto workers who have been on the frontline in the fight against the virus.
Federal Govt must provide 4 days paid vaccination leave for aged & disability care
— Australian Unions (@unionsaustralia) June 10, 2021
“Workers in aged and disability care are being asked to go without pay for multiple days to get the vaccine... this is a huge financial disincentive for low-paid, insecure workers." @sallymcmanus pic.twitter.com/Zo0kgVVOgg
Paid vaccination leave for workers in aged and disability care is a simple practical way for the Morrison government to speed up priority vaccinations. https://t.co/E76eaAJ07S
— Michele O'Neil (@MicheleONeilAU) June 10, 2021
Read more:
The New Daily: Unions call for paid ‘vaccination leave’ to encourage uptake of COVID jabs
News.com.au: ACTU calls for paid vaccine leave to encourage uptake
The Guardian: Abject failure’: only 999 out of 26,000 Australian disability care residents vaccinated
ABC: The people who say they have been left behind in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout
The Australian: ACTU calls for paid vaccine leave to encourage uptake