Council pushes back its jab deadline date

THE city’s biggest workforce is being given a reprieve on Covid-19 protection measures with council delaying a deadline on compulsory vaccinations.

City council management in early December had warned staffers that it wanted them to be all fully vaccinated by February 15. They were supposed to get their first jab before Christmas.

The Bulletin was told by council insiders that at least 400 of the city’s 4000-strong workforce at that time had yet to get their first dose. In seeking an update after recent emails were sent out to staffers, the Bulletin has asked if February 15 continues to be the current cut-off date and what were the ballpark figures on employees booking to get the vaccine.

A council spokesperson in a response said: “Following consultation with the Joint Consultative Committee and staff, we have extended the consultation period on the proposed vaccination policy. Consultation will continue until 28 February 2022, with a proposed policy implementation date of 31 March 2022. This will ensure that all staff and unions have adequate opportunity to provide feedback. It is important that every staff member is provided with the opportunity to understand the city’s proposed policy position and provide feedback.”

If the policy is adopted in its current form, it will be mandatory for all city staff to be vaccinated unless they have a medical exemption.

City councillors are not expected to meet again until a full council meeting planned for January 31.

But any discussions and debate on how to move forward on the issue, given it is a staffing matter, will most likely be held behind closed doors at the Evandale Chamber.

The council has been unable to give figures of approximate vaccination rates, but some suggest there are “high numbers’.

But a council insider told the Bulletin: “I know with the unions there’s a couple of issues with the mandate.

“We have a big story brewing in council.

“We are definitely in the hundreds, in terms of prochoice. For once in their life, their job is on the line. This will be an issue for the new CEO.”

The Bulletin asked council how it would it maintain the integrity of its essential services such as water, sewerage and waste collection if it lost staffers, and whether contractors would be employed.

A spokesperson replied: “The city has robust Business Continuity Plans across all areas especially our essential services and residents should be assured that there will be no disruption to any critical services, such as water services and disaster management.”