workers choosing not to vaccinate without a valid reason were told by their own union, the hospital employees union, they faced “definite employment consequences.”
spokesman mike old said the union has an obligation to support its members and would review any grievances on merit, and “anybody can go to the b.c. human rights tribunal” with a complaint. but he admitted the odds of winning a decision at the tribunal are slim.
old said long-term and assisted-living homes are required by law to ensure all workers are vaccinated. workers will have a chance to apply for medical exemptions, but conditions for those are strict, he added.
workers at acute care are required to be vaccinated on tuesday, but they have another two weeks to comply before being terminated.
the same percentage, about four per cent, of acute care workers refused vaccination. the b.c. nurses’ union has been encouraging its members to get vaccinated, but stopped short of supporting the mandatory vaccine.
health employers association of b.c. said workers who refuse vaccination “as of the applicable date (oct. 12 for long-term care and assisted living, and oct. 26 for acute and community) should then be placed on unpaid leave for a period of two weeks, during which the employer will contact the individual worker to discuss their intentions and offer to support them in getting vaccinated,” a health ministry spokeswoman said in an email.