The Real Media Collective (TRMC) has called on the National Cabinet to clearly acknowledge and include the overall print and visual communications industry and its workers in its determination of essential service guidelines and protocols for exempting isolating employees.
This would ensure vaccinated asymptomatic workers could, where necessary and agreed, attend work.
TRMC CEO Kellie Northwood said since Christmas, supply chain and essential service stresses have increased due to a significant number of workers across all industries having to isolate for seven days or longer who have been considered ‘close contacts’ under the various state public health orders.
“Given the effects of the Omicron variant on the national workforce, particularly in the supply chain of critical goods and services, the Collective has called on the National Cabinet to include our industry in any determination of essential services and functions and related workers,” Northwood said.
“Our industry is an essential service and an essential service supply chain provider across the Australian economy.
“The Collective has worked hard over the last two years to ensure governments at all levels recognise this fact. This has generally ensured our members and the greater industry have been able to remain open for business even during lockdown periods.”
Northwood mentioned that if an isolating worker is deemed critical for operations, and is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, industry members need to have the option available to discuss the appropriateness of that worker leaving isolation and returning to work under strict health and safety protocols.
“Through implementing the Printing and Distribution Protocols developed by the Collective in 2020 and updated last year, our industry has managed the health and safety of its workforce, and minimised any risks. Government needs to recognise this fact and include our industry in its deliberations on these issues,” Northwood said.
National employer association Ai Group has also called for national and workable, consistent rules on COVID testing, isolation and return to work that are cognisant of widespread shortages, the huge stresses on our supply chains and the growing number of critical workers out of action.
Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said that while the National Cabinet’s move to get supply chains moving will help alleviate shortages faced by consumers and the stresses on many businesses facing labour and staffing issues, relaxations on visas and international students’ working hours will further alleviate the issue.
“The decision to include all transport, freight and logistics workers including service stations among the sectors able to return to work following a negative test after a close contact is welcome recognition of the interconnectedness of our supply chains and the importance of keeping goods moving across the country in order to secure supply to Australia’s households and businesses,” he said.
“Removing the limits on the hours international students can work will provide further support to sectors such as hospitality and transport where many students are working. Ai Group would support consideration of further concessions in this area such as allowing temporary skilled 482 visa holders to work for a second employer in those sectors in critical need of labour.
“There are hundreds of thousands of visa holders in Australia at any one time and if those without work rights or with limited work rights were allowed to work temporarily this would address supply shortages and ease the stresses for many businesses.
“This temporary change to visas could be introduced immediately and reviewed when the Omicron outbreak passes its peak. This crisis should force us to think creatively about rules and regulations to identify ways to get all hands-on deck in critical sectors.”
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