How hundreds of cops will risk being sacked or cop $20,000 fines in a WEEK if they don’t get vaccinated – with unions accusing Mark McGowan of ‘starving officers into compliance’
- Police staff required to be vaccinated for Covid by December 1 under WA rules
- There are more than 350 employees who are yet to confirm they are vaccinated
- WA’s Police Commissioner said officer could be sacked or hit with huge fines
- Under WA jab mandates about 1.1million are required to get a Covid vaccine
By Brett Lackey For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 09:24 GMT, 22 November 2021 | Updated: 09:24 GMT, 22 November 2021
Hundreds of unvaccinated police officers and support staff could be sacked, have their pay stopped or cop a huge $20,000 fine if they don’t get a Covid jab by December 1.
WA Premier Mark McGowan has introduced widespread Covid vaccine mandates that cover about 75 per cent of the state’s workforce – about 1.1milllion workers – including police officers.
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson warned on Monday that officers won’t be cut any slack on the rules, prompting the police union to fire back claiming the move was aimed to ‘starve our officers into compliance’.
It is thought around 360 police staffers are still unvaccinated in the state.
‘Vaccination is a personal choice,’ WA Police Union acting president Mick Kelly said.
He added the union views consenting to a vaccine as a basic human right and ‘we don’t accept the WA Police Force’s heavy-handed treatment of our members based purely on their vaccination status’.
‘We’ve been advocating that our members don’t have their pay cut … and maybe find alternative work locations.’ he told 6PR radio.
‘It’s tight out there as it is. We need to retain as many officers as we can.’
Under the vaccine rules, police staff will need at least one dose of a Covid vaccine to set foot in a police workplace from December 1 – including stations and patrol cars.
They will also need to get their second dose by the end of that month.
Those who are found in breach of the public health direction issued by the state’s chief health officer will be slapped with an on-the-spot fine up to $20,000.
DO YOU STILL THINK THIS IS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?