THE Employers Consultative Association (ECA) said employers should educate employees about the importance of being fully vaccinated against covid19, instead of adopting approaches such as not allowing unvaccinated employees to return to work.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ECA said its message at the level of the workplace at this time is "to introduce initiatives designed to educate employees about the personal and societal benefits of vaccination, as well as the importance of vaccination for the organisation and the preservation of jobs."
Reiterating its support for the national vaccination programme, the ECA said all available research to date indicates that vaccination provides one of the best opportunities to return to some level of normality.
While observing some strong arguments being made for mandatory vaccination, the ECA said, "At present, there is no law mandating vaccination for any employee in any industry."
It cautioned employers against unilaterally implementing decisions which could affect the ability of existing employees to continue working by changing their terms of engagement without due process, communication, consultation, or consideration of legitimate exceptions, whether or not recognised majority trade unions exist.
This, the ECA continued, exposes employers to the potential risk of defending a trade dispute in the Industrial Court.
Where workers refuse to be vaccinated, the ECA said patience and respect must be conveyed by employers to workers instead of resorting to "condescension and coercion."
In addressing the concerns of these workers, the ECA suggested options such as more frequent sanitisting, greater distancing between workers and customers, or adjusted work scheduled to coincide with slower customer traffic periods should be considered.
Whether a person is vaccinated or not, the ECA said all the required health protocols must be followed. In cases where vaccination is essential in a high-risk job and no other solution can be found, the ECA said a course of mutual separation could be pursued. All relevant legislative, individual employment contracts or collective agreements and discussions with the employee and representative trade union should be followed.
Supermarket Association president Rajiv Diptee said, "A vaccinated individual is less likely to be a vector for the virus and will reduce transmission especially in the workplace where staff and customers interact."
Diptee said an unvaccinated person is more is more likely to become infected as well as to be a vector for transmission of the virus. Outside of statutory and individual rights, Diptee said it was society's collective responsibility to be vaccinated against covid19.
Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce president Kiran Singh said the issue was a double-edged sword: unvaccinated workers posed a risk to their co-workers and customers, and the same applied to unvaccinated customers.
The TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) said it would wait to see what decision the Government takes on work
