Woolworths and Coles both announce COVID vaccine mandate for workers
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Woolworths and Coles supermarkets announced yesterday that the COVID-19 jab is now going to be mandatory for all of their Australian workers.
In a series of press releases, the two retail giants announced that staff must follow the new vaccination rules.
Woolworths announced its intention to introduce the new requirement for Australian team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the coming months, unless they have a valid exemption. It’s believed this mandate will affect 170,000 workers. Woolworths says the mandate will apply to the entire company and cover Australian team members working in stores, distribution and online fulfilment centres, and support offices.
According to the press release, the proposed timeline by Woolworths for the full vaccination requirement in ACT, NSW, NT, Victoria and WA is January 31, 2022 and March 31, 2022 in the other states.
Woolworths and Coles are two of the largest Australian companies to make the COVID-19 Jab compulsory for all of their workers. Credit: AAP.
Coles on the other hand, says it will require team members to be vaccinated as a condition of working at any of its stores, distribution centres and other sites in NSW, the ACT and Victoria, unless employees have a valid exemption. Coles went on to say that government health orders also require Coles team members in the Northern Territory and Coles supermarket team members in WA to be vaccinated in order to work.
Coles says its workers in Victoria will need to be fully vaccinated by November 26, NSW and ACT by December 17, the Northern Territory by December 25 and WA by January 31, giving its team much less time to get vaccinated compared to what Woolworths announced. Coles says it will continue to work with health authorities and team members and strongly encourages the uptake of vaccination in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, where vaccination is not currently required as a condition of work.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci says the new mandate will keep its workforce safer, not only for their employees but for their customers as well. Coles' Group CEO Steven Cain said providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the supermarket’s top priority.
Coles and Woolworths have released deadlines for when staff members must be vaccinated. Credit: AAP.
Although both Woolworths and Coles have provided vaccine deadlines for their staff members there wasn't any talk of terminating staff contracts if the staff member is unvaccinated. However, the press releases from both companies do imply that without the vaccine, staff will no longer be able to work at the companies, unless they have a valid exemption.
In a series of press releases, the two retail giants announced that staff must follow the new vaccination rules.
Woolworths announced its intention to introduce the new requirement for Australian team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the coming months, unless they have a valid exemption. It’s believed this mandate will affect 170,000 workers. Woolworths says the mandate will apply to the entire company and cover Australian team members working in stores, distribution and online fulfilment centres, and support offices.
According to the press release, the proposed timeline by Woolworths for the full vaccination requirement in ACT, NSW, NT, Victoria and WA is January 31, 2022 and March 31, 2022 in the other states.
Woolworths and Coles are two of the largest Australian companies to make the COVID-19 Jab compulsory for all of their workers. Credit: AAP.
Coles on the other hand, says it will require team members to be vaccinated as a condition of working at any of its stores, distribution centres and other sites in NSW, the ACT and Victoria, unless employees have a valid exemption. Coles went on to say that government health orders also require Coles team members in the Northern Territory and Coles supermarket team members in WA to be vaccinated in order to work.
Coles says its workers in Victoria will need to be fully vaccinated by November 26, NSW and ACT by December 17, the Northern Territory by December 25 and WA by January 31, giving its team much less time to get vaccinated compared to what Woolworths announced. Coles says it will continue to work with health authorities and team members and strongly encourages the uptake of vaccination in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, where vaccination is not currently required as a condition of work.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci says the new mandate will keep its workforce safer, not only for their employees but for their customers as well. Coles' Group CEO Steven Cain said providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the supermarket’s top priority.
Coles and Woolworths have released deadlines for when staff members must be vaccinated. Credit: AAP.
Although both Woolworths and Coles have provided vaccine deadlines for their staff members there wasn't any talk of terminating staff contracts if the staff member is unvaccinated. However, the press releases from both companies do imply that without the vaccine, staff will no longer be able to work at the companies, unless they have a valid exemption.
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