Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Thursday that the reported “no vaccine, no work” policy of some business establishments is illegal.
“Yung no vaccine, no work, illegal ‘yan, bawal yan,” Bello said in an interview on Dobol B TV.
The DOLE chief said employers cannot force their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He added a “no vaccine, no work” policy could be considered as “discrimination.”
“Kaya wala pong ganyang patakaran. Kung sino man ‘yung employer na gumagawa niyan, alam niya na mali ang ginagawa niya,” he said.
Bello also noted that the Philippines does not have enough supply of vaccines as of now.
The “no vaccine, no work” policy issue surfaced after some workers in the agriculture, manufacturing, and services sector informed the Associated Labor Union (ALU) about it.
The ALU said most of the complaints came from the hotel, restaurant, and BPO workers.
“Meron tayong tinatawag na Anti-Discrimination Law. Yung discrimination ay iba-ibang klaes na porma at uri ngunit sa aming paningin, isa itong uri ng discrimination,” said Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson for ALU-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, in Chino Gaston’s report on State of the Nation.
DOLE chief says ‘no vaccine, no work’ policy illegal
“So kung mayroong magrereklamong manggagawa, tutulungan namin magsampa ng kaso,” he added.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced Wednesday that the vaccination for the general public may start between late April or early May.
In an interview with ANC, Galvez said poor families, senior citizens, and vulnerable groups may also receive the vaccine around the same period.
“Ang projection po namin ang general public, pati na ‘yung mga seniors, poor families, at saka vulnerable communities, we will start ‘yung general public inoculation late April, early May,” he said.
Galvez said that the ongoing inoculation of health workers is expected to be finished by the end of the month.
However, if the vaccine supplies would not arrive on time, Galvez said the vaccination of the priority list would be completed by April.
onat some time in the duration ofMore (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)