Covid positive abattoir workers forced back to work

Teys Australia will force South Australian abattoir workers who are Covid positive to report into work on Monday.

The abattoir temporarily shut down when 140 workers tested positive but if those workers still have Covid next week, they will be required to return to work.

Teys Australia is one of Australia’s largest meat processing companies and their goods are stacked on Woolworths shelves across the country. These abattoir workers will be in the same workplace together– regardless of their Covid status – and Covid positive workers will have to distinguish themselves with yellow hairnets.

It doesn’t take a health professional to recognise that this decision is clear endangerment of human life.

Anybody who is infectious with the virus should be isolating at home, to keep themselves their co-workers and the entire community safe. This is what governments, both State and Federal, have been telling us now for two years.

All workers have the right to a safe workplace and in these days that means access to N95 or P2 standard face masks, Rapid Antigen Testing, and paid pandemic leave. It doesn’t mean being forced to come to work sick.

When Scott Morrison says we need to ‘learn to live with this virus’, this should never mean forcing someone to jeopardise their own health at work.

The Morrison Government has refused to meet with unions to address the safety of working people and continues to resist calls to make Rapid Antigen Tests free.

Tey’s decision is negligent of its workers who have helped feed this country throughout the pandemic as well as the customers who buy the products from Woolworths’ supermarket shelves.

We have until Monday 17 January to prevent these workers from having to attend a workplace that poses a serious threat to their health and safety.

Head to the Woolworths Facebook page and let them know it’s not on.

Find more information about your rights when sick at work here.