BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A labor group here slammed reports on the possible enforcement of a “no vaccination, no work policy”.
“This gives us an irritating sense of confusion,” according to Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance Workers Association (GAWA).
This supposed policy was already brushed off by Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III, but official confirmation is “necessary to allay fears” of workers amid the pandemic, said Sancho.
“Labor is already apprehensive on the intervention of the government by reducing the number of holidays resulting in the diminution of their wage and wage-related benefits,” he added.
Labor advocates are asking if these measures were necessary, Sancho said.
“[This policy] would surely become a source of discouragement that would dampen the hope of poor workers who could not avail themselves of the free vaccination program,” he pointed out.
This will also have a “chilling effect” on workers who felt that they could not work unless they were vaccinated, Sancho added.
GAWA condemned the proposal, saying it is “an irresponsible speculation in the midst of our struggle towards economic recovery.”
Earlier, Bello stated that the policy was impractical./PN
