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The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has criticized companies that have made it mandatory for the employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
The ZCTU in their court papers filed at the High Court argued that there was no law that made it mandatory for employees to be vaccinated and that this order was infringing on the rights of unvaccinated employees.
“There is no law in Zimbabwe making vaccination compulsory. Each person, having fully considered the implications and effects of vaccination, is expected to make a personal decision on whether or not to get vaccinated and where a person decides to get vaccinated, he or she is expected to make a decision relating to the timing of the vaccination.
“It is on this basis … that the applicant is contending that the aforementioned employers are taking the law into their own hands … in the process they are infringing the fundamental rights of the affected employees,” ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said in an affidavit in the High Court.
Several corporates are said to have made it mandatory for employees to get vaccinated,taking a cue from the government which made it mandatory for all of it’s workers to be inoculated.
ZCTU cited Public Service minister Paul Mavima, Attorney-General Prince Machaya, Zimnat Insurance Company, Zinara, TelOne (Private) Limited, Windmill Limited, Seed Co Zimbabwe and the Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences (MSUAS) as respondents.
Retail chain N Richards is said to have told its employees to be fully vaccinated or they will be denied entry into the premises.
“With the current COVID-19 situation in the country, we feel it is only reasonable that we play our role in encouraging all service providers and merchandisers who work in, and alongside the N Richards Group to get vaccinated,” Yeatman said.
“We appeal to all partners to seriously consider ensuring that external staff working in NRG branches is vaccinated. Accordingly, the group has taken the decision that it will not permit entry of unvaccinated staff after 30 September 2021.
“To this end, please note that from October 1, 2021 vaccination certificates will be required to be produced upon entry,N Richards director Mike Yeatman said in a statement
The mandatory vaccination has been extended to tertiary institutions with HIT having told it’s students and staff to get vaccinated or risk being denied entry into the premises.
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