Council Adopts Vaccination Policies With Employee Tests Paid For By The City
By Robert Thomas
Nobody is being forced or coerced into getting vaccinated for COVID - 19 but rather they are being encouraged to that is the message Administration brought forward at Council on Tuesday evening
In a lengthy debate Council agreed to require City staff and contractors to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter City facilities. In the case of employees the weekly test costing an estimated at $90 - $100 is free but for contractors the cost is their's alone.
City manager Jim Puffalt said the City needs to “lead by example and try to encourage as many people (as possible) to become vaccinated.” And the recommended policies would help move the process along.
Puffalt admitted the City itself had not reached the target 90 percent of staff fully vaccinated. He declined to reveal what percentage of City staff who were fully vaccinated other than it was higher than the amount for the general population.
The policies proposed would see City staff and contractors providing proof of vaccination by October 31st or present a negative COVID - 19 test no older than a week. Regular weekly tests would not be required 14 days after an employee was fully vaccinated.
Other aspects of the employee and contractor policies proposed they, and not the City, was financially responsible for the $90 - $100 tests.
“I’m not sure as an elected official (I should tell others) to do something with their body they don’t want to do,” Acting Mayor Dawn Luhning said. “I don’t think we should be telling people to get vaccinated by a certain date.”.
Acting Mayor Luhning had just been told that the work from home policy would not be in effect for people declining to be vaccinated.
“Refusing to be vaccinated is not a reason we would consider (to work from home)…it has to be an operational issue,” Puffalt said.
Despite her personal views - believing in being vaccinated was the best route - Acting Mayor Luhning said she would not force others to be vaccinated.
“What is giving us the authority to tell an employee they must be vaccinated I am struggling with that,” the Acting Mayor said.
However the City Manager stressed that was not the intent of the policy being presented.
“It's not within the power of any government to force people to get vaccinated,” Puffalt said, adding “we are not forcing anyone to get vaccinated.”
With the City staff not reaching the fully vaccinated herd immunity target Puffalt felt the measures to encourage vaccination was important. He warned without it the city could end up back in a lockdown situation.
“These are the small things we can do to try to make it better…people sitting on the fence (this is) the means or encouragement to make that step (and be vaccinated).”
AGAINST THE POLICIES
Councillor Kim Robinson - a strong opponent of the City implementing COVID - 19 mandates - was highly critical of the proposed policies.
“I think it is ridiculous we as a City are mandated to tell people they have to go out and be vaccinated,” Councillor Robinson said.
He stressed mandating City employees be vaccinated went not only against the conditions of employment employees sign but was very close to stepping on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Councillor Robinson went on to criticize what he saw as the seemingly changing reasons why people are being asked to get vaccinated- to first protect the unvaccinated and then to protect the vaccinated from the unvaccinated.
“So who are we protecting?” he asked.
“Some people are very worried about the vaccine and I totally understand that.it is totally wrong,” he said.
FOR THE POLICIES
Councillor Heather Eby was diametrically opposed to Councillor Robinson's position.
“There are no winners in this debate…but we still have to make decisions for the good of our community. But in this case the good of our staff,” Councillor Eby said.
She admitted the issue was divisive with people angry no matter what Council in the end decided.
“We do have to deal with this in these chairs and it is not fun.”
Councillor Eby responded to Councillor Robinson's opinions on who the vaccine was suppose to protect.
“We are not here to debate the science or non-science,” she said, adding “I am glad this is not a you have to go out and get vaccinated.”
Councillor Robinson said some councillors were “making decisions on who is going to vote for you.”
Councillors Robinson and Eby as well as Councillor Crystal Froese are three of the nine candidates vying for the vacant Mayor's seat in the November 3rd by-election.
CITY SHOULD PAY
The policy requiring City employees and contractors to pay for their required COVID testing is something Robinson felt should be paid for by the City.
“The City should be footing the bill for tbese COVID tests…I think we are over reaching terribly.”
Councillor Jamey Logan had concerns about people who do not make big money to support their families now saddled with the weekly costs of COVID tests.
“This is one particular policy I am not in favour of,” Councillor Logan said.
He insinuated the costs involved were actually coercion to force people to be vaccinated.
“To say we are not forcing someone (to get vaccinated) is really not true,” Councillor Logan said.
Councillor Logan said given the costs and the financial struggle it might impose on some the City should pay for the required testing.
“I would be in favour of the City footing the bill if it comes to that.”
Councillor Crystal Froese said she did not want to see the vaccination policy costing people their jobs.
“I don’t want this to be a barrier to employment…I don’t want to see that happen here,” Councillor Froese said.
About getting rapid testing Puffalt said the City was far down the priority list.
SOURCE - Government of Saskatchewan
Additionally the Province was no longer providing testing for people without symptoms.
Acting Mayor Luhning said the tests were something she did not want to see an individual have to pay for.
She made a motion the City pay for employees' tests until December 31st until there was some indication where the pandemic was headed.
Councillor Robinson asked about including paying for testing contractors as well something opposed by Councillor Logan who said it was now common for businesses to provide their own as a part of their operations.
In a five to one vote with Councillor Robinson opposed Council agreed to pay for employee testing until December 31st. The motion allows the issue to be discussed during the upcoming 2022 budget deliberations.
Councillor Robinson then proposed a motion which would mean the proposed policy guidelines would not be enacted.
Acting Mayor Luhning said the City had no choice but to follow the Province's guidelines.
Councillor Robinson questioned the guidelines based upon statements made by provincial Cabinet ministers about no proof of vaccination ever being required.
It was something rejected by the Acting Mayor who stated those were old guidelines and the latest guidelines had to be adopted.
In a 5 - 1 vote with Councillor Robinson in favour the motion to not adopt the proposed policies was rejected.
After some procedural questions Council was told they could put forth a second set of motions to pass the policies and guidelines Administration had recommended. The vote was 5 - 1 with Councillor Robinson opposed.
The policies to ask for proof of vaccination at City facilities passed unanimously with a 6 - 0 vote and no discussion.