REPUBLIC Bank Ltd (RBL) advised one of its external service providers that from September 1, only vaccinated employees of the latter would be allowed on to its premises to do any work.

In a signed letter dated August 19 to I-Lan Outsource Services Ltd, RBL manager (data centre services) Kurt Dipnarine told the company, "As a key external service provider of our organisation, your employees frequently visit our premises for prolonged periods of time and interact with our staff, and in some instances, even our customers."

Dipnarine said, "With this in mind, from September 1, 2021, we request only the vaccinated members of your organisation attend to the 'on-premises' needs of the bank."

He said RBL would not be verifying the vaccination status of any of I-Lan's employees who are sent to its offices.

But Dipnarine added, "However we do reserve the right to spot-check and verify this information, if circumstances warrant us to do so."

Reiterating that September 1 was the date RBL planned to bring all of its employees physically back to work at their respective offices, Dipnarine told I-Lan, "We trust that you would recognise the intention of this request which is aimed at safeguarding our employees and customers."

In a statement on August 26, RBL said 2,200 of its 2,900 employees had been either fully or partially vaccinated against covid19. RBL added this figure constitutes 75 per cent of its employees in TT.

RBL also confirmed that on August 26, it had met with the Banking Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) to "continue discussions on having our workers return to the workplace on a safe basis."

In a statement issued before the release of RBL's statement, BIGWU second vice-president Jason Brown said, "Due to the bank’s reliance on semantics to defend their position, the union will have no other alternative than to seek urgent legal redress."

BIGWU previously threatened legal action against RBL if the bank did not withdraw plans to ensure workers were protected against covid19 by 10 am on August 23. Brown said no action was taken on that date because BIGWU received correspondence from RBL Group industrial relations manager Preston George, requesting a meeting. He confirmed RBL's statement about the meeting being held on August 26. Brown said in the meeting, RBL was told it was "introducing a new term of employment to the workers prior and simultaneous to seeking consultation and agreement from the union."

He said RBL was told that unless there is agreement with BIGWU on this policy, it cannot be implemented. Brown reiterated the union's opposition to the unilateral imposition of costly PCR tests on unvaccinated workers, the use of monetary "bribes" to encourage workers to be vaccinated against covid19 and threats of disciplinary action and other prejudicial treatment against unvaccinated workers. Brown said RBL defended its position and "Mr George has confirmed to the union that he is quite comfortable in court."

While BIGWU