Crown Employees Face Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations
Crown Resorts is not the kind of company to do things by halves. It throws itself into everything it does, be that for the good of the company or otherwise. Crown is making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for its 20,000 staff members. It has not ruled out similar action for its millions of customers.
The group’s new CEO Steve McCann informed the world of Crown’s decision on Tuesday.
“At Crown, we care about creating a safe environment for our people and our customers. As such a significant hospitality employer in Australia with resorts that hosted over 30 million visits per year pre-COVID, we need to take measures to help keep people safe. That starts with our employees but also extends to our guests and the broader community. This is about protecting every Australian.”
More than 60% of Crown’s massive workforce have had at least one of the two recommended vaccinations. Most support Crown’s plans due to receiving both vaccinations already.
Crown encourages the vaccination to any employee not yet jabbed. Crown offers its worker three hours of paid leave for each of the vaccinations. Workers receive an extra day of paid sick leave if required. This is a nice gesture because the vaccine has several side effects.
Those employees already vaccinated or stood down due to ongoing closures receive a $50 gift voucher.
Supporting Government Vaccinations Targets
Australia has one of the worst vaccination rates on the planet. Only 34% of the population is fully vaccinated after receiving both vaccinations. That puts Australia on par with the likes of Barbados, Mexico, and Kazakhstan. Some 66% of the United Kingdom population is full vaccinated.
The Australian government wants more Australians to receive both vaccinations. McCann’s stance assists the government in reaching its targets.
“COVID-19 has devastated the hospitality industry, and that has been felt acutely by our people. Supporting the vaccinations target rates set by government is going to help our industry reopen, stay open, and recover faster.”
Dario Mujkic is the United Workers Union casino director, the group representing the majority of Crown employees. Mujkic is unhappy at forcing vaccinations on his members.
“The vaccine rollout has been bungled from the start, not just through the lack of availability and access, but through confusing and mixed messaging from all layers of government.
“The announcement that Crown will mandate vaccines will cause unnecessary angst among casino workers, who, like the general public, have been subject to confusing messaging and disinformation campaigns.
“Vaccine mandates should be directed by elected governments based on expert health advice and should not be at the discretion of corporations, whether that be Crown or anyone else.”
Other Entities Have Mandatory Vaccines Already
It is not only Crown making vaccinations mandatory because several other Australian entities have similar rules.
SPC, a fruit and vegetable company, made vaccinations mandatory on August 5. Virgin and Qantas made the jab necessary to stay on the job last month.
Tasmania’s iconic Mona Art Museum has a vaccine mandate. As does the entire NSW Police Force.
The companies mentioned took drastic action as Australia struggles to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything looked under control between October and June, with only a handful of new daily cases, but that is no longer the case.
The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus spreads easier and faster than any other. Reports show 382 new cases on August 12. Cases increased to 1,112 on August 26, only two weeks later. Figures published on September 13 show 1,719 new cases and a weekly average of 1,739.
A total of 76,895 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in addition to, sadly, 1,102 death. New South Wales has 45,782 cases, the most of anywhere in the country. Victoria second on 26,036. Death in NSW are at 240 but the virus has claimed the lives of 826 Victorians.
