Council drops vax mandates
‘‘We are worried that it is based on a fear of employment litigation, rather than what is best for employees.’’ Sarah Stone Public Service Association
Auckland Council staff and those visiting its sites and facilities no longer need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as it moves in line with the Government relaxations.
There were 4000 responses out of 7100 council workers to a survey last week and of those who responded, 56 per cent were in agreement or strong agreement with the move.
The trade union covering the biggest number of council staff, the Public Service Association (PSA), had said on Friday many of its members felt the council was moving too quickly.
Masks will still be required indoors, and the council is ‘‘strongly encouraging’’ vaccination of its workers.
‘‘From tomorrow everyone will be able to enter our sites without having to show their vaccine pass, or scan or sign in,’’ community services director Claudia Wyss said on Monday.
The council said it had taken advice from legal and public health experts, as well as consulting with its staff.
In an online survey, the council said 56 per cent of respondents were in favour of the direction it was taking, with 42.6 per cent strongly agreeing, and 13.4 per cent ‘‘slightly’’.
Among those disagreeing with the relaxation, 23.5 per cent did so strongly, with 13.2 per cent slightly opposed, and nearly 7 per cent neutral.
The PSA said it was disappointed at what it called the council’s decision to ‘‘rush through’’ removing the vaccine mandate.
‘‘We are worried that it is based on a fear of employment litigation, rather than what is best for employees,’’ said the lead organiser, Sarah Stone.
Auckland Council admitted that its survey had been shared with people outside the council, but that it had been able to strip out responses from outsiders.
The council will still encourage social distancing, but Stone said in facilities such as libraries it would be difficult for staff to maintain hand-washing and othermeasures.
The latest version of a technical health and safety risk assessment found that under settings last week, the risk to staff who might contract Covid-19 was high – but ‘‘high’’ was not a measure of their chances of becoming ill, and also was based on people only being doubledosed.
‘‘We might have to accept a high level for another week or so,’’ said Paul Robertson, the general manager of health, safety and wellbeing, but this would reduce with falling case numbers, and perhaps a move into the orange traffic light setting.
Robertson said calculating in the benefit of everyone being triple dosed with the vaccine, the risk could reduce to medium, but there was no means to monitor that among staff or visitors.
While vaccine measures are relaxing, Auckland Council is continuing its Work From Home focus, with 80 per cent of staff who can do so working away from their offices in the red traffic light setting.
Under the orange setting, the council would move towards a level likely to be about 50 per cent, but it would vary from unit to unit, depending on the nature of work.
Under the green traffic light setting the council would shift more to normal practices, but expected there would be discussions about continuing a level of flexible working.