Universities may continue to enforce vaccine mandates even if they’re not required by local health authorities, a labour arbitrator has ruled. The decision came as 2.2 million college and university students prepare to return to campus..“The policy was a reasonable exercise of management rights,” wrote Mark Wright, an Ontario arbitrator. His decision came on appeals by the United Food and Commercial Workers’ union against a vaccine policy at Wilfrid Laurier University of Waterloo, Ont..“COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the University and its employees,” wrote Arbitrator Wright. “Universities are by nature gathering places that have the potential to create a significant public health risk if that risk is not properly managed.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, Laurier University from last September 22 required that all students, faculty and 2,200 employees show proof of vaccination. Management kept up enforcement of its policy even months after the chief medical officer of health in Waterloo said vaccine mandates were no longer necessary..“I find the policy, considered on its own terms, to have been a reasonable management response to the extraordinary threat to health and safety posed by the COVID-19 in all its variant forms especially when considered in the context of the University,” wrote the arbitrator..“It was clearly communicated to staff, students, and faculty and it struck a reasonable balance between an employee’s interest to privacy and bodily integrity and the University’s interest in maintaining the health and safety of the workplace.”.The United Food and Commercial Workers acted on behalf of two cafeteria workers suspended without pay after they declined to show proof of vaccination. The union had protested the policy breached the Charter Of Rights..Arbitrator Wright said the university was “perfectly entitled to enforce its policy” regardless of local health orders or whether the federal cabinet eased its own vaccine mandates. Cabinet effective June 20 ended most mandates for federal employees and air travelers..Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on June 14 told reporters the policy change reflected "new science.".“Our government’s response has always been informed by evolving science, research, prudence and expert public health advice,” said Duclos..Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer, on June 8 predicted a seventh wave of COVID infection was “very likely” this fall and winter. “We need to prepare for the fall and winter season,” said Tam..“I think the pandemic is not over,” said Tam. “Given the continuous evolution of the coronavirus we think it is very likely we will get some more viral activity in the future.”
