The Manila Times

Recall of mandatory jab order pressed

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

SEN. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros on Friday urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to recall its resolution directing mandatory vaccination of workers in workplaces, saying the move is not only unacceptable but is a violation of laws.

“Malinaw sa ating labor laws na iligal na i-hold ang sweldo ng sinumang empleyado nang walang pahintulot. Hindi ito dapat payagan dahil isang araw lang na maantala ang sahod ng manggagawa ay katumbas na ng gutom ng buong pamilya (It is clear in our labor laws that it is illegal to hold the salary of any employee without his/her consent. This should not be allowed because for a day of delay of the salary of a worker is equivalent to the hunger of the whole family),” she said.

The IATF has released two resolutions, 148-B and 149, stating that in areas where vaccine supplies are sufficient, establishments and employers in the public and private sector must require their onsite employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

IATF Resolution 148-B further provides that workers who are still unvaccinated may not be terminated, but will be required to undergo RT-PCR tests regularly at their own expense for purposes of on-site work.

“Hindi tamang ipasagot pa sa kanila ang Covid-19 tests kung ‘di pa sila bakunado gayong hindi na mapagkasya ang kakarampot na sweldo. Dapat pagtutulungtulungan ng gobyerno, employers at employee associations na maengganyo silang magpabakuna sa halip na parusahan (It is not right to let them shoulder the cost of Covid-19 tests if they not yet vaccinated since their meager amount of salary is also not enough for their needs. The government, employers and employee associations must join hands in encouraging them to get vaccinated instead of punishing them),” she said.

Hontiveros also said that the resolutions were not in consonance with the Department of Labor and Employment’s Advisory 03 Series of 2021, which expressly states that “no vaccine, no work policy shall not be allowed, and that there should be no discrimination or termination for employees who refuse or fail to be vaccinated, and instead must be encouraged by their employers to do the same.

“IATF’s resolution defies the DoLE Advisory on the no vaccine, no work policy. Bago magkaroon ng ganitong resolusyon ay maiging makailang beses na pag-isipan, magkaroon ng konsultasyon sa mga apektadong sektor para makapagbalangkas ng mga polisiyang papabor sa mas nakararami, lalo na sa mga manggagawa (Before having this kind of resolution, it is better to first think many times, have consultations with the affected sector in order to come up with policies that will favor the majority, especially for the workers),” she said.

“Sa dulo nito, dapat kapakanan at kaligtasan ng manggagawa ang isaaalangalang, pero hindi sila dapat pwersahin o pagbantaan na hindi papapasukin o pasuswelduhin lalo pa’t ngayon lang sila nakakabawi sa hagupit ng resesyon (At the end of this, the welfare and safety of the workers must be the primary consideration, but we should not force or threaten them that they will not be denied entry, or will not be compensated, especially now that they are just starting to recover from the impact of the recession),” Hontiveros added.

News

en-ph

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://manilatimes.pressreader.com/article/281599538783675

The Manila Times