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REPUBLIC Bank (RBL) says it is committed to ensuring that all its employees are able to safely return to their respective offices on September 6, in keeping with a statement made by the bank's managing director Nigel Baptiste in a signed internal memo on August 9.
The bank made this statement on Thursday in response to a statement issued by the Banking Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) on Wednesday.
RBL had earlier said in the absence of vaccination, early identification of covid19-positive cases in the workplace is vital to minimising the risk to vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
To this end, it said, "mandatory PCR testing of unvaccinated staff, who represent a higher risk of contracting and spreading this disease, will be implemented from September 6."
On staff on who are not yet vaccinated, the bank said it was committed to working with them in the intervening period to get their first doses and would continue to do so even after September 6.
In the union's statement, BIGWU second vice-president Jason Brown warned the bank, "Do not punish the unvaccinated."
Brown said employees' return to their offices should not be vaccine-dependent only, but should also take into account the workplace's ability to allow the necessary distancing, "as both vaccinated and unvaccinated may contract and spread the virus to those with or without the vaccine."
He said BIGWU supports any measure which is globally accepted in the fight against covid19 "which includes the 3 Ws (watch your distance, wear a mask, wash your hands) and the vaccination as an additional fourth layer of protection."
But Brown said there was deep disagreement between BIGWU and RBL over any proposal to compel unvaccinated workers "to pay up to $2,400 per month for PCR tests to enter the bank's premises."
Brown also claimed there have been threats of disciplinary action and the removal of discretionary paid sick leave for unvaccinated workers, while the workers who agree to be vaccinated may receive incentives.
The union wholeheartedly rejected institutionalised discrimination against workers, it said.
But Brown said BIGWU "is still willing to support reasonable compromises that do not create additional hardship and stress in the workplace."
Recalling that RBL recently praised its employees as heroes for their continuing work during the pandemic, Brown said, "It is to be noted that this PCR cost was already willingly borne by the bank without any prompting by the union and has had no effect on the bank's robust profitability."
He said BIGWU continues to engage with RBL on the return of its 2,641 employees to the bank's 44 branches and stands ready to defend the interests of its members "as they invoke their own right to work and earn a living in the age of covid19."
In response, RBL said since the start of the pandemic, the bank has taken and continues to take measures to ensure the health and safety of its staff. The bank said these include installing plexi-shields where feasible, staff education campaigns, mandatory mask-wearing on its premises and installing sanitisation stations.
RBL also said its support for the national covid19 vaccination programme is underscored by the bank co-writing the cost of running the Divali Nagar mass vaccination site in Chaguanas; holding vaccination drives for employees and their families at that venue on four days, with another to come; and running a public awareness campaign encouraging people to be vaccinated.
RBL added, "These opportunities have been made available to all staff, and in many cases, time off has been granted to allow staff to take their shot."
The bank said it takes seriously its obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety health and welfare at work of all its employees.
Reiterating that no one is safe unless everyone is safe, RBL said, "As a responsible employer and corporate citizen, our primary concern remains the safety and well-being of our employees and customers and the economic recovery of our country."
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