Vaccine mandates are legal, just get the shot, labour group says
Posted Oct 1, 2021 1:25 pm.
Last Updated Oct 1, 2021 2:14 pm.
EDMONTON – In almost all cases, workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates are legal and challenges are unlikely to hold water, says Alberta’s largest labour group.
The Alberta Federation of Labour says it’s taking guidance from well-known labour lawyer Leanne Chahley, who says “grievances challenging COVID-19 policies that fall within the assumptions set out (in the legal opinion) have virtually no chance of success at arbitration.”
The Alberta Federation of Labour was getting a lot of questions around grievances of vaccine mandates, so they hired labour lawyer Leanne Chahley to check it out.. coming to the conclusion, most employers vaccine policies will hold up in court/arbitration https://t.co/Ud4QaoNUpi pic.twitter.com/WfElC3z3RM
— Carly Robinson (@CarlyDRobinson) October 1, 2021
AFL president Gil McGowan says the workers’ group has already taken a pro-vaccination stance, as has its affiliated unions, and Chahley’s statements only reinforce the AFL’s position.
“Vaccination is key to getting the pandemic under control, relieving our overwhelmed health care system, and keeping all of our workplaces safe,” McGowan said.
“Our health care system is overwhelmed. Our health care workers are exhausted and traumatized. Our unvaccinated kids are at risk. And our economy will continue to stagger along until the fourth wave is brought under control.”
“Just get the damn shot.”
McGowan says the AFL will be encouraging members to get the shot if they haven’t already, and they will also make sure those who choose not to get the shot that any legal challenges likely won’t go far.
“There is little chance of winning grievances against a properly constructed mandatory vaccination policies. We will also be advising [unvaccinated members] that, while unions have an obligation to investigate all member complaints properly, they do not have an obligation to file grievances on all of those complaints, especially if there is little chance of those grievances being successful,” he said.
