A survey of public service members conducted by the NSW Public Service Association (PSA) has found that only two per cent believe COVID-19 vaccination is unnecessary.
Unveiling its findings, the Association said its survey of workplace attitudes to vaccination was completed by 12,832 members over three days from 30 August to 2 September.
The PSA said that at the time of the survey, 76.63 per cent of members had received at least one shot; 54.2 per cent had received both shots; 22.43 per cent had received their first shot; and 6.47 per cent were booked in for their vaccinations.
It said 8.3 per cent of respondents reported they were worried about the side effects of vaccination and that they were not yet inoculated.
“Almost all employers are approving members’ requests to take Special Leave to get vaccinated,” the PSA said.
“Less than one per cent of respondents said their request for Special Leave to receive their vaccination had been knocked back by a manager or supervisor,” it said.
The PSA said more than three-quarters of respondents agreed that vaccines should be mandatory for workplaces that had a high level of interaction with the public, while 8.74 per cent of were neutral on the subject, 4.4 per cent disagreed and 11.61 per cent strongly disagreed.
The Association said Public Health Orders prescribed mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for authorised workers and relevant care workers from local Government areas of concern; health workers, who are required to have received their first dose by 30 September; and all Ministry of Health employees.
It reminded members that mandatory vaccination was not a new phenomenon generally or in employment.
“Commonwealth laws impose vaccination requirements to receive Federal childcare subsidies and family payments,” the PSA said.
“In four States ‘No Jab No Play’ laws limit access to childcare and kindergarten for unvaccinated children.”
It said employees in various fields in the public service had been required to be vaccinated against certain diseases for some time and some employers had been found liable in negligence for failing to require employees to be inoculated against transmissible diseases.
“Where a Public Health Order prohibits a worker (such as a health care worker) from undertaking their duties unless vaccinated, an employer is likely to be justified in disciplining or dismissing an unvaccinated employee (other than one exempted on medical grounds),” the PSA said.
Public Sector Guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccinations can be accessed on the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s website at this PS News link.
