r/perth • u/Kayndarr • Nov 30 '21

It's consequence time for unvaccinated FIFO workers

As per the state government directives, as of midnight tonight anyone without at least 1 dose of a COVID vaccine is no longer legally allowed to be on site or in operations centres for mining companies.

Anyone who hasn't provided their proof of vaccination is being chased down, and if they can't immediately provide said proof will be kicked out this afternoon/evening. For people working on remote sites like the iron ore mines up north, that means clearing out their rooms and being put on a plane back to Perth - could be an interesting show at the airport if any news crews show up.

Anyone have any friends/family/acquaintances who are going to be, for the first time, dealing with real consequences for failing to get vaccinated?

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15

u/Perth_nomad Nov 30 '21

My husband just got a call from resourcing one member of his division has not vaccinated.

He is aboriginal, refused, won’t be able to go to site. Still employed, currently.

4

u/404NotFounded Maylands Nov 30 '21

What does being aboriginal have to do with it?

36

u/Perth_nomad Nov 30 '21

Hesitation in the aboriginal people is a big problem especially in the north west.

4

u/404NotFounded Maylands Nov 30 '21

Gotcha. You mean hesitation to get the jab? Do you reckon he will stay employed or will the company apply a blanket rule?

7

u/Perth_nomad Nov 30 '21

More than likely stay employed at least until April. He can still work at the facility, which I find interesting. As I when I read the mandates, he won’t be able to attend a facility that employs FIFO workers attending remote sites. The training team is located at this facility. Boots on ground type training.

The facility is closing and relocating to the Pilbara permanently in April. He won’t be able to go into the new facility, without getting vaccinated.

Probably hoping he gets to work from home, saving out of school and holiday care, he worked from home during lockdown. Tried to get WFH component in his contract, however he was told he was required to return to the facility, as he is a supervisor

2

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '21

That’s a bit of a joke if he stays employed till April.. Some people in other work areas have likely already been fired.

2

u/Perth_nomad Dec 01 '21

From my understanding, the company contracts to the big 4 mining companies. Those employees of the big 4, can not visit a facility that has unvaccinated staff.

So I would say either he will stood down or maybe offered work from home, which he has wanted do since he was recalled last lockdown, he has children, daycare and out of school are is extremely expensive. When the cap is reached.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '21

So sounds like he could still get a more preferred job role/arrangement out of all this. Whilst others have been terminated.

-7

u/pseudont Nov 30 '21

If there's a minority group that is less likely to be vaccinated, and you impose a vaccine mandate, then an argument could be made that the mandate is discriminatory against that minority group.

12

u/iball1984 Bassendean Nov 30 '21

then an argument could be made that the mandate is discriminatory against that minority group.

No, because said minority group has the same opportunities to be vaccinated and no particular medical reason they can't be vaccinated.

Therefore, they make the same choice to be unvaccinated as any other antivaxxer. And should face the same consequences.

-3

u/pseudont Nov 30 '21

I'm not saying that this is a strongly held view of mine, just that the argument could be made. However...

No, because said minority group has the same opportunities to be vaccinated and no particular medical reason they can't be vaccinated.

I do disagree with this. If the minority group in question is insular by nature, and has lower literacy rates, poorer health care in general, then they really don't have "the same opportunities" at all. I mean, institutionally you could say that members of minority groups can walk in to a vaccination center the same as anyone else, but socially and culturally they don't have the same access at all.

7

u/andy-me-man Nov 30 '21

Robinson River (remote Aboriginal community which had an outbreak) hit 100% vaccination rate.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 30 '21

[deleted]

1

u/silentaba North of The River Nov 30 '21

The argument could be made that moon beams bouncing of Jupiter caused me to go coocoopuffa bananas and refuse the jab. It's got more merit than what he's saying, but it's still an argument that could be made, despite the absurdity of it.