RTBU position on mandatory vaccination

The RTBU asserts that the key to protecting rail, tram and bus workers from COVID-19 lies in:

• long term testing in the workplace comprising of a range of measures such as Saliva Swab testing, Rapid Antigen Testing and PCR Surveillance testing;
• a proactive priority vaccination rollout to rail, tram and bus workers at their workplace for those wishing to be vaccinated;
• incentives from government and employers to promote vaccination of workers.

The RTBU condemns the lack of leadership by the Federal Government in this area, and its failure to ensure all workers in the transport industry can access vaccines. This failure has led to an urgency in the vaccine roll out that has forced consideration of mandatory vaccination which is an entirely unworkable solution.

The RTBU would like to see optimal vaccination rates for the health and safety of everyone involved in our transport systems. Recognising that there will be some who may not be able to take the COVID vaccines due to religious or medical reasons or even because they are conscientious objectors.

No worker should be disadvantaged because of the political failures of Government.