Anglo American to introduce mandatory vaccinations

LONDON - Mining giant Anglo American intends to introduce mandatory Covid vaccinations across the company and may sack workers who refuse.

The firm, which employs 95, 000 people worldwide, says it is consulting with its staff about the policy.

The Daily Telegraph, citing an internal Anglo American document, reported that workers who refuse to be vaccinated could be fired “as a last resort.”

This would happen if an alternative, remote working role could not be found.

A spokesman for Anglo American said: “Anglo American is intending to introduce a policy that requires

Covid-19 vaccination for access to all its sites and offices, with the continued objective of protecting our employees, their families, and communities as much as we can.”

It said that over the past 18 months, it had encouraged workers to be vaccinated and had set up vaccination facilities at some sites.

This includes in southern Africa where Anglo American has a large presence and where the new Covid variant, Omicrom, was first detected last week. “Requiring vaccination for access is the next step, given that vaccination is the best defence available,” the company said.

However, it admitted that implementing a mandatory Covid vaccination policy may vary in different countries.

“We expect there may be differences in exactly how and when the policy will be implemented across the group due to local contexts and legal requirements,” said a spokesman. Anglo American employs about 1, 300 workers at the Woodsmith mine project in North Yorkshire, which it acquired when it bought Sirius Minerals last year.

It also has its headquarters in London.