No work, no pay policy leaves workers hesitant to get vaxxed

By Kristian Dave Achondo
Desk Editor

MOST third-party factory workers in Cagayan de Oro City are hesitant to pre-register for the free Covid-19 vaccination offered by the local government, not due to fear of negative news regarding the vaccine’s ill-effects circulating on social media but because of not getting paid during their given schedule.

In an interview with a factory worker, who requested anonymity, said he planned to pre-register for the free vaccine. Although workers will not be marked “absent without leave” or be penalized by their agency, they would still not be paid for the day they will be absent for the vaccination.

“Sa sulod sa usa ka kinsina, maka trabaho rakog ka pito niadto, dayun on-call nalang me sa panahon nga walay schedule namo. Sa pagka karon, tentative amoa schedule mao nang kabalak-an nako kong mag pa-register ko para sa bakuna ug matunong sa adlaw nga nakoy trabaho dili ko bayran sa amoang agency,” the worker lamented.

“Arang-arang nalang ni karon nga medyo daghan na amoa schedule gaka kuha. Pero mao lage na no work, no pay jud ('mi) ani,” he added.

Despite having more schedules for work, he could not afford to be absent even for just one day. Especially now when they are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic that started last year when work schedules were little to none and the constant changes in the quarantine status of this city have also impacted their work schedule.

“Sayang ang sweldo sa usa ka adlaw kong di ko mo tunga, busa bisan gustohon nako mag pabakuna, mas pili-on nako mo trabaho na lang,” he said.

After this city’s first encounter with Covid-19 in March last year, many small and big scale businesses had to implement skeleton schedules or work-from-home arrangements and some even went out of business. This meant less work, especially for those who are contractual workers like him.

He, as well as other contractual workers under his agency only wish to be paid on the day of their given Covid-19 vaccination schedule. If ever their schedules fall on their designated workday.

“Hangyo lang namo unta (sa amoa agency), kong naa me schedule sa bakuna, ilaha unta mi sweldohan gyapon kong matunong sa amoang duty, kay random man gud ang text. Dili me makabuot kanus-a me hatagan schedule sa bakuna, dili sad me ka-buot kanus-a me hatagan schedule sa trabaho,” he said.

Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), Cagayan de Oro field office, Senior Labor Inspector Romil Cagas said the questioned agency is not liable or obligated to pay its employees who wish to get vaccinated. This is because getting vaccinated is not mandatory, and to do so would violate the rights of any employee regardless if they come from the private or government sector.

“Dili obligado ang agency mo bayad sa empleyado because ang vaccination dili siya mandatory. So pwede gyud siya mahulog ni siya sa no work, no pay basi sa rules sa company,” he said.

He also warned companies who are implementing a “no vaccine, no work” policy as this violates the department’s labor advisory No. 3 series of 2021 “Guidelines on the administration of Covid-19 vaccines in the workplace.”

“Covered establishments and employers shall endeavor to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. However, any employee who refuses or fails to be vaccinated shat not be discriminated against in terms of tenure, promotions, training, pay, and other benefits, among others, or terminated from employment. No vaccine, no work policy shall not be allowed,” reads part of Section 3 of the advisory.

For his part, Mayor Oscar Moreno, during City Hall’s daily press briefer last Saturday, said he was aware of this issue and was also discussed in a previous meeting on how to solve the issue among factory workers and companies.

“Usa na sa atoang gi meetingan the other day, kay lagi kahibalo ko na nay mga private companies nga lisud kayo nila mawala ilahang mga empleyado. Kani ayuhon lang ug plano, ug ayuhon lang pag-coordinate,” Moreno said.

Moreno cited that it’s not really an issue with large companies because he said some of them could afford to purchase their own vaccines and have their employees vaccinated. However, it is different with small companies.

“Pero katong mga dili kaayo dagko (companies) atoa gyud alalayan. That’s why atoang i-duol sa atoang barangay ang vaccination. Now kong gusto nila sa ilaha opisina or sa ilahang planta pwede nato na buhaton. But we have to have a good arrangement. Kailangan i-inspect sa DOH ang site sa vaccination para accepted siya. Ikaduha, there has to be a critical number (participants), para dili sad masayang ang panahon sa atoang vaccination team,” he said.

“At least, pag dal-on nato sa barangay ang bakuna, mas sayon na dayun sa mga kompanya nga diha naka base. Lugar, kong dili gyud kaya nga dadto sa ilahang planta at least duol na ang vaccination team. Ang importante dira naay open communication,” Moreno added.

As for Dr. Ted Yu, City Health Office (CHO) medical officer, he clarified that individuals who finished the vaccination process can return to work if given a thumbs-up by the post-monitoring team.

“Sa ating vaccination strategy or sites, merong post-monitoring area, once ma-release kayo na wala namang major na evaluation or recommendation pwede naman sila bumalik. Of course mag-expect lang sila some pain sa side kasi bakuna po yan. Aside from that if walang recommendation they can work.” Yu said.