‘Employers cannot bully workers into getting the vaccine’ – COSATU

The row over compulsory vaccinations has begun in earnest over the past few weeks, as South Africa’s vaccine drive reaches top gear. The implementation of jabs, expected to reach more than 75% of the population by the time it has finished, now poses a huge ethical question: Can employers demand that workers get themselves immunised?

COSATU reject plans for ‘compulsory vaccinations’

There have been all sorts of arguments on either side. Some say that businesses have every right to protect their interests, whereas others claim that a mandatory vaccine policy for employment would be ‘discriminatory’. COSATU, South Africa’s largest trade union, falls into the latter camp, after they came out to oppose a ‘no jab, no job’ stance.

COSATU Spokesperson Sizwe Pamla believes that there are enough people with legitimate reasons to dodge the vaccine to make any mandatory vaccination agreement ‘unmanageable’. Some people have genuine allergies to the components of the jabs, and others won’t be able to have these inoculations based on other medical grounds.

‘No-one can be bullied into taking the vaccine’ – Sizwe Pamla

Pamla has suggested that the unvaccinated would still have to take precautions, and work in the surgical N95 masks. According to COSATU, there are absolutely no legal grounds for an employer to ‘bully’ workers on this issue.

“There are constitutional grounds for people to reject the vaccine and there are medical grounds, Some people are allergic to some components of the vaccine. You can accommodate and work outside of ordinary hours, so you can allow that individual to continue to work with an N95 mask now. Otherwise, why reopen and saying we can go back to work?”

“We are clear that those workers who are uncomfortable with the vaccine, have the right to raise that issue with the employer and that employer has no right to bully them into compulsory vaccination.” | Sizwe Pamla

Almost all the unions – from Cosatu to Solidarity – are determined to oppose any attempt by employers to punish those who refuse the jab. Is this a principled position? #702Breakfast pic.twitter.com/Ku7HGdoql4

— Bongani Bingwa (@bonglez) July 28, 2021