On Monday 7 February, the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport advised Together that they were commencing a consultation with staff about a policy to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all staff. The Department has started a staff consultation process. While some DTIS employees are already covered by vaccine requirements, the proposed policy would require all employees to have a COVID-19 vaccination. Together will be providing feedback to the Department in the coming weeks. Together has already been conducting a ballot of union members to determine the union policy towards mandatory vaccinations in government departments since December last year. While this ballot remains open its closing date will now be brought forward so it can determine the union position on the current proposal from the employer, so it will now close at 5pm on Monday 14 February . Vote in the ballot here. Please take the opportunity to have your say in the ballot before it closes. If you have any feedback on the policy, please get in touch with your union organisers at your.union@together.org.au.
Together members employed in the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water have voted to support an employer mandate for COVID-19 vaccinations, with a clear majority of members who participated in the ballot supporting the mandate. I met with the employer on Monday 31 January to provide the union's response to the employer's draft policy. Together’s feedback included clear timelines and allowing for members to access the Novavax vaccine. As we know, vaccinations are only part of the workplace health and safety response to COVID-19. We raised ongoing consultation on workplace health and safety including working from home and rapid antigen tests. Union members are taking the lead in protecting the workplace. Ask your colleagues to join the union today.
As COVID-19 cases rise, public sector agencies are considering whether to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory as part of the workplace health and safety response. Vaccinations mandates are only one part of the response. Workers in the Office of Industrial Relations need to be heard on a range of choices and options for keeping our workplaces, families and communities safe in 2022. We know that when workers have a say, we create better outcomes for our workplaces. I provided a briefing regarding the suite of workplace health and safety strategies that Together members are seeking to make sure public sector workplaces are as safe as possible. You can watch the briefing back here. Members who attended the briefing supported running specific ballots for members to decide the union position for each agency. Every member in the Office of Industrial Relations will get the opportunity to have your voice heard and vote in the mandatory vaccination ballot. You can vote in the ballot here. The ballot will be open until 12pm 28 January to ensure that every member gets their vote. It’s important you have a say in the ballot. Your collective voice will be important when union members engage with the Office of Industrial Relations over the responses to the upcoming COVID-19 spike.
