The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) has called Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s government a dictatorship for making vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for public workers.
Incidentally, this sentiment has been previously expressed by the Opposition.
JTUM President Ancel Roget hosted a virtual media conference on Monday where he advised that in two days, the leaders of the various organisations under JTUM’s umbrella would be gathering outside the Prime Minister’s Office at White Hall to express their dissatisfaction with the declaration. They will be there at 10am.
“We do not need permission to be standing outside White Hall raising objection to the unilateral position of the Prime Minister. I am saying this in advance to the police and the police who have instructions otherwise.”
“This country is under a very disrespectful, high-handed dictatorship and we will be communicating to the dictator that let good sense prevail because if that did not occur, other things will happen and, of course, within the ambit of the law.”
He said, however, that their members will not be present.
On Saturday, Dr Rowley announced that from mid-January, government workplaces will be dubbed “safe zones” where only the vaccinated will be allowed to enter. While there will be exemptions for those with medical issues, Dr Rowley said unvaccinated employees will be on leave and will be furloughed.
Roget believes the move is illegal as he labelled Dr Rowley “arrogant” for failing to consult stakeholders.
“Unless and until there is discussion and agreement which forms part of this whole collective bargaining process, which forms part of how we come to an agreement in the first place as a means or a matter or part of supporting my terms and condition of employment, unless that occurs it is wrong and illegal for anybody to unilaterally impose.”
JTUM’s leader went on to state that while public servants are the first to be targeted, they will not be the last.
“This issue will not stop at the public servants. It will go from public servants to public spaces to all employers and every employer will feel that he can have a field day with this issue now if the government is allowed to get away with this.”
Roget said employers mandating vaccination must accept full liability for anything that occurs to staff with provisions made for their families.
As he defended JTUM’s position, he said the organisation supports immunisation but is pro-choice. He said mandatory vaccination would be “counterproductive” as he said education “rather than coercion” is needed to persuade the public.
The union leader added that JTUM’s resistance to this measure will not stop on Wednesday as more actions are planned. He remained tight-lipped about what that would look like.
Roget, himself, is immunised against COVID-19 and said he has convinced people to take the jab.