High jab rates at WA ports after compulsory vaccination takes effect, despite Qube worker mass sickies

Vaccination rates at WA ports have reached “very high levels”, after the State Government made it compulsory for workers on exposed vessels to receive their first jab by last Friday. Ports Minister Rita Saffioti said each of the State’s port authorities had worked hard to ensure its workers were vaccinated — with first dose vaccination rates approaching 90 per cent or above. “Given the high take up rates, we do not anticipate any disruption to port operations from the introduction of mandatory vaccination,” she said. Her comments come as Mark McGowan orders compulsory jabs for a far wider range of occupations, stretching from police and fire emergency services to building maintenance, and supermarkets, cafes and bars. Aged care and health care staff, mining workers and truckies already came under the compulsory jab rules, along with exposed vessel port workers who had to have their first vaccination by last Friday and second by November 12. She said the port authorities had worked with the Department of Health to facilitate access to vaccinations for their employees. For example, Fremantle Port Authority had run six pop-up vaccinations clinics. Logistics and stevedore company Linx Port Services said by Friday’s deadline there was only a small number of its port workers who had not yet received their first dose. Linx executive general manager Vince Trotter unvaccinated workers were removed from the roster after that date, without any significant disruptions to Linx’s ongoing operations. “We continue to engage with those workers,” he said. Fremantle Port Authority manager of corporate and community relations Neil Stanbury said most of its affected workers were already double-vaccinated. “We’re also engaging with other employers in the port environment to do what we can to assist,” he said. The West Australian reported on Monday that wharfies working for Qube chucked 60 sickies - almost 25 per cent of the roster over four days following the end to a 77 day strike last Friday. The average sickies per day is 1.5. The high absentee rate resulted in lower productivity and having to drop a shift on Sunday. Qube continues to monitor absentees and productivity. The Maritime Union of Australia blamed the high absenteeism on a lack of available vaccines or documentation for workers to prove their jab status. Qube Ports director Michael Sousa described it as obstructive behaviour.