One Hill employee left unvaccinated

One unvaccinated worker employed by the Hill Milling/Lionel C. Hill Supermarket group of companies has been given until Thursday to produce a COVID-19 vaccine certificate or be fired.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Ashby clarified on Tuesday that the deadline for the presentation of the document by the male employee is before payday on Friday.

Despite the “strong advice” from the Chief Labour Officer Claudette Hope-Greenidge to immediately withdraw a memo which he sent to staff mandating they must be vaccinated by September 30 or be terminated, the businessman is adamant that the only one remaining unvaccinated employee must go, unless he can show proof to the contrary before collecting his wages on Friday.

Last week, the CEO said that only two of the 98 staff of the two businesses had not been vaccinated.

But today, he made reference to only one who he is insisting must pay the price if he does not adhere to his latest instructions.

“If the manager gave you an order and you say you ain’t carrying it out, what he should do with you? I know what I have to do; it ain’t get there yet. People don’t understand when I say next payday. The next payday hasn’t come yet.” the business leader told Barbados TODAY.

Asked when is the next payday, he replied: “For that person…Friday.”

The memo which Ashby circulated to the employees last Friday stated: “As the pandemic worsens, we must improve our protection and safety. In July I indicated to you that all staff that were not sent to St Lucy [Harrison’s Point Isolation Facility] 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.”

Today, the head of the Unity Trade Union, Senator Caswell Franklin said the workers had initially reached out to him and he advised them to first lodge their complaint with the Labour Department and he would follow up. Franklin said he was not certain if any complaints were filed.

But he told Barbados TODAY “If he [Ashby] went ahead and fired the worker he would be breaking the law and he would have to bear the consequences.”

The Opposition senator also disclosed that he is now representing an employee who was “unfairly” dismissed by a prominent doctor when she returned to work after recovering from the virus.

He said he will be placing this matter before the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) for adjudication.

Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordan issued a statement last week warning employers that they step outside the legislation when they force their staff to take the COVID-19 injection as a condition of continued employment.

“Workers in Barbados are protected by the Employment (Prevention of Discrimination) Act which, among other things, prohibits discrimination on the grounds of a person’s medical condition,” Minister Jordan stated.

He contended that workers in Barbados are also protected by the Constitution on the basis of their religious beliefs.

“While we are strongly urging and encouraging persons to be vaccinated so Barbados can be successful in the fight against this deadly coronavirus, there is currently no legislation that requires a worker to be vaccinated,” the minister declared. (emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)