Latest news

Whilst Australian states are still managing COVID spot-fires, the game changer worldwide is the rollout of vaccinations to as many as possible, as quickly as possible.

The two main emerging issues for the IEU are:

1. Raising school staff up the priority list and
2. Avoiding the need for general compulsion and possible termination of employment for the unvaccinated.

As the vaccine roll-out is nominally a federal matter, we have been working on the national scene to advocate for priority status for school workers. The federal government issued a rollout plan in early January, but that had no particular reference to schools although it would be our position that school staff would be in phase 1B (critical high risk workers) or in the alternative phase 2A (other critical and high risk workers).

The IEUA Executive undertook preliminary discussions in November 2020 with a view to firming up a position in 2021 as details emerged.

We recently had a national hook-up, which determined:

1. To work with the ACTU and government consultation process on the roll out.
2. That schools should be elevated in priority for a range of reasons including
   1. the age profile of school staff,
   2. risks of extended close contact with unvaccinated students, and
   3. the social/economic impacts on communities if schools need to be locked down.
3. We would defer to the expert advice, but be strongly pro-vaccinations.
4. We would expect high levels of take up but not 100% due to some valid (and other idiosyncratic) reasons, not that 100% is needed for herd immunity.
5. The law is evolving around the rights of employers to make jabs mandatory and sack people who don’t have jabs. We are watching cases currently before the Commission and other “expert” legal opinions.
6. We are, as a matter of principle, against compulsion and consequential employment terminations, whilst recognising the social contract that people implicitly accept by being a part of society.

In the predictable handballing of responsibility from a federal to a state responsibility, the states are being left with implementation and compulsion issues. I have written to Premier Marshall expressing our position that school staff need to be made a high priority (for a range of reasons) and that we are pro-vaccinations, but anti-compulsion, if most people do the right thing. We are also in conversation with the AEU and they are taking a similar stance with the state government.

The text of the IEU letter to Premier Marshall is below:

Dear Premier,

The Independent Education Union represents the industrial and professional interests of members in South Australia’s non-government schools as well as in private provider training and early childhood centres.

Throughout the last 12 months of pandemic, schools have played a unique role in the management of the crisis despite often conflicting interests. The IEU respectfully puts to the government of South Australia, that in the implementation of the rollout of COVID vaccinations in South Australia, the unique function and circumstances of schools be recognised and reflected in a high priority being given for school staff in the program.

As much as young people have been placed low in the priority ranking, the age demographic of staff in schools tends to be slanted to the older demographic. Such “Boomers” will have their own vulnerabilities deserving of early vaccination, but they are working in schools at close quarters with a large group of students who will be largely unvaccinated for some time. This extended close contact must increase the probabilities of transmission of any virus if present.

Should individual schools (or schools more generally) become centres of infection and in need of shut-down and quarantining for school community members, the economic and social ripples spread through the community with parents and care givers needing to miss work and daily activity. There is also the obvious problem of disruption of student learning and wellbeing.

Looking at the federal government roll-out strategy, the IEU proposes that all school teaching and non-teaching staff be classified as “critical” workers in phase 1b ahead of the alternative of phase 2a of “other critical” workers or adults over 50 years old.

Implementation could be streamlined by vaccinations being taken directly to schools where records of local immunisation levels could be readily kept and second doses readily administered on a return visit. Schools have previously been used in vaccination programs for children and the model should work equally work well with adult staff where there are economies of scale and logistics.

The IEU is taking a strong pro-vaccination stance recognising the value of high vaccination rates in instilling herd immunity, but at the same time recognising that some people will have valid medical reasons for not being vaccinated. Hopefully the vast majority of people will recognise their responsibilities under their implied social contract and not unreasonably decline vaccination or otherwise impede the program. We see no need for any compulsion in the vaccine roll-out, nor in employment situations.

In summary, the IEU supports the maximisation of vaccine coverage in the community, but recognising the unique place of schools in society, calls on the government to make school staff a high priority for vaccine roll-out in South Australia.

I am happy to discuss this further with yourself or other relevant officials.

Glen Seidel, Secretary. IEU(SA). Via email.