Backlash over mandatory vaccinations for SPC workers … could hospitality be next?
SPC, the first employer to mandate vaccinations of staff against COVID-19, has come under fire, receiving a barrage of abuse from all over Australia.
Despite the backlash, SPC chairman Hussein Rifai stands by his decision as the company employs around 500 workers in western Sydney and Shepparton in regional Victoria.
Rifai has been called everything from a communist, to a capitalist and told to “go back where he came from”.
“For the first three days our marketing staff and my family were up until three o’clock in the
morning reporting some mad people,” he told The Australian Financial Review.
“I can understand small business neither have the resources nor the desire to go through with this very unpleasant experience.”
While he has reported much of the abuse from what he calls “the extreme of society”, Rifai has the protection of the business, his staff and broader community front of mind.
“We have literally hundreds of contractors that go in and out dropping off products, picking up, packaging, doing maintenance on various pieces of equipment.
“If an infection was not detected for a week, that would spread through a town like Shepparton like a wildfire, and it would shut the whole town down.”
Mr Rifai also stated that with such high levels of interaction between workers as well as contractors, SPC had no choice but to create a safe workplace and to mandate the vaccine.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), while supportive of vaccinations, has opposed his views saying the mandatory policy is unrealistic considering the lack of vaccine availability.
AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said “mandating vaccination causes confusion, and it further entrenches resistance and opposition to the vaccine.
“It fuels workplace conflict and drives workers to become defensive. This approach will make the 80 per cent target unachievable.”
The government has so far rejected mandating vaccinations leaving the responsibility to vulnerable and high-risk businesses.
However, the Fair Work Ombudsman says it reasonable for “high risk” employers to mandate vaccinations themselves, especially in face-to-face environments.
All staff at SPC must have their first vaccine dose scheduled by 15 September and have it administered by the end of October.
SPC will work with all employees.
“It doesn’t make sense to us to say to all employees if you can’t get access to the vaccine therefore, we’re going to fire you all. We’re going to be working with them,” Rifai said.
“The issue that we don’t want is one particular person who wants to do it in their own way – and it’s not based in science – and who could hurt other staff and employees.
“I’d be very surprised [if an employee refused to get vaccinated]. We’re a company based in science. Our workforce is very clever – it’s not a political issue, it’s an issue of health and science.”
Irit Jackson, 18th August 2021
