Tens of thousands of council workers will be given paid vaccination leave in a major deal struck with unions.Credit:AP
The employees,however,will have to take sick leave for any negative side effects they suffer as a result of receiving the vaccine.
The amendment to the splinter award,which was created to financially buffer local government workers at the beginning of the pandemic,also includes opportunities for redeployment if council workers are unable to do their usual jobs because they are in isolation.
The deal struck between multiple unions and and council peak body Local Government NSW has seen about 105 of the state’s 128 councils sign on,and follows calls from NSW Labor for the state government to introduce the provision after frontline workers tested positive for COVID-19 amid Sydney’s growing outbreak.
Local Government NSW president Linda Scott said ensuring more than 45,000 people in the council workforce were vaccinated would create a stronger health and economic recovery for NSW.
“Providing leave to allow our workforce to be vaccinated,and to be redeployed where possible when in isolation,is the right thing to do,” Cr Scott,who is also a councillor at the City of Sydney,said.
“For most people,getting the vaccine should be possible within two to three hours. Without seeking to infringe on individual circumstances and personal choice,councils will generally be encouraging all staff to get vaccinated.”
United Services Union general secretary Graeme Kelly,who helped negotiate the deal,said the local government industry – “the closest tier of government to the people” – had demonstrated it could work collaboratively with employees for the benefit of the community.