CEO says vaccination of all 98 staff to protect workers

Two workers of the Lionel C Hill Supermarket and Hill Milling Company Limited group have been threatened with termination unless they provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination by this weekend’s payday. 

The warning was issued by Chief Executive Officer Richard Ashby in an interview with Barbados TODAY after issuing a memorandum to all staff reminding them that Thursday was the deadline for all employees to be vaccinated in order to retain their jobs. 

He revealed that of the 98 workers employed by the businesses, only two have not complied with his instructions. 

Ashby told Barbados TODAY: “We only had two people out of 98 who have not adhered to it. I thought I made myself exactly clear. From July, I gave letters, August, I reminded, September, I reminded; and this is the date that was set, September 30, all the way back from July. Get vaccinated or else you don’t come to work. So if you don’t come to work, what you think is going to happen to you?” 

He said that the two employees still have a “few more days [to avoid termination]. [They] know they can’t come to work tomorrow. But by payday when I am signing those cheques, they would know where they would be,” the CEO said. 

Asked when the vaccine certificates have to be presented, he replied: “Either tomorrow or by payday.” 

In seeking to justify his decision to require workers to be immunized or sent home, Ashby contended that he has a duty to secure the safety of his staff. 

 “I have to secure all the assets in here safely. The only way you can do [this] is to have some kind of protection, not a hundred per cent, but at least 50 per cent protection,” he declared. 

Ashby blamed the unvaccinated for children not being able to attend face-to-face classes. 

“So all the school children at home sitting down because these people will not go and get vaccinated. They have a mind for their children, the country’s children who are at home and can’t go to school because they won’t go and get vaccinated. You think that is right? I don’t think that is right,” he declared. 

He suggested that the only way to get the children back into physical classrooms is for the private sector to call for vaccinations. 

“Not the government, the government can’t do it. You can do it. You are the newspaper. The private sector can do it. I am not asking the government to do it; the private sector, you do it. Pick up you pens men,” the retail and manufacturing boss suggested. 

In response to threats in some quarters of legal action against him for “forcing” workers to take the vaccine as a condition of employment, the executive told Barbados TODAY he was not afraid. 

He said: “Why should I have fears of court action? Don’t I have a right to dismiss anybody I hire as long as I follow the law? If you follow the law, why should you go to court?” 

Ashby wrote in the staff circular that the Hills Group of Companies must improve on its protection and safety in light of the worsening pandemic. 

He said: “In July, I indicated to you that all staff that were not sent to St Lucy [Harrison Point Isolation Centre] must be vaccinated by September 30, 2021. 

“Please note no employee will be allowed to enter Hill Milling Co Ltd or Lionel C Hill Supermarket to work without a [vaccination] certificate. You may return on payday for any monies due to you and your termination letters.” (emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)