After weeks of pressuring management, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has won its campaign for paid COVID vaccination leave at the University of Sydney.
Yesterday, the University communicated in a Staff News email that “Where vaccination appointments cannot be scheduled outside of work hours, continuing and fixed-term staff may access personal leave and casual staff may access COVID-19 special leave.”
“This is a good decision by university management and a big win for university staff, students and the broader community,” NTEU NSW Secretary Damien Cahill said.
“Paid vaccination leave, including for casual staff, is one of the most significant things employers can do to support public health right now.”
As previously reported, the NTEU and USyd Casual’s Network were concerned that without access to paid vaccination leave, casuals would face barriers to getting vaccinated and fall through the gaps.
USyd is now the sixth university in New South Wales to have agreed to the NTEU’s demands, following ACU, Western Sydney University, UOW, University of New England and University of Newcastle.
Macquarie University, the University of Notre Dame, Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University have yet to provide paid vaccination leave.
The NTEU is still seeking clarification as to whether paid vaccination leave at UNSW applies to casuals, and the extent of its applicability for all staff at UTS.
The petition for paid vaccination leave now has over 3000 signatures.
