‘No jab no job’

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Sewing machinists busy at work at the Mark One Apparel Pty Ltd factory at the Kalabu Tax Free Zone, Nasinu. Picture: FILE/JOVESA NAISUA

To ensure the safety of staff garment manufacturer and exporter Mark One Apparel Ltd has declared a “no jab no job” deadline for its staff members.

Company managing director Mark Halabe yesterday said allowing non-vaccinated staff to work would endanger the well-being of others and place higher risks on the company’s ability to keep exporting if an outbreak occurred within the company.

“I have made it clear that I respect the rights of staff not to take the jab for some abstract reason, but I have a legal responsibility to maintain a safe working environment,” he said.

The company is one of the many garment factories that received permits to operate under the safety guidelines and protocols set out by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport.

“Obviously, we are not able to keep up full production on a single shift.

While the curfew remains from 4am to 6pm we are unable to run two shifts to be able to return to full production with all staff.

Our customers have started to divert orders that we are unable to manufacture due to the reduction of allowable staff.”

So far, Mr Halabe said the company had lost more than $1 million in income and he expected further losses in the months ahead as the company navigated restrictions under current protocols.

“The good news is that our losses will be manageable due to the pragmatic decision by Government to allow us to reopen.

Fifty per cent of staff are now earning income rather that none, export earnings have returned but less than 50 per cent of pre-COVID which is better than nothing.”

Mr Halabe said they had planned very strict Covid safe protocols that the ministries involved had agreed to.

“We have also followed all the non-negotiable protocols issued by Government.

The main ones include no use of public transport, keeping an active Covid Safe committee within the company with enforcers constantly roaming the premises.”

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