UNIONS representing teachers and support staff at the Hunter's state, Catholic and independent schools are calling for the educators to be prioritised for vaccination, as the number of COVID-19 cases in Sydney schools grows along with concern that students may be required to return to remote learning.
NSW Teachers Federation Hunter organiser Jack Galvin Waight said the union had been seeking since August last year a commitment that teachers will be given priority access to the vaccine, "in recognition of their status as essential workers".
"Due to federation's advocacy, teachers in vulnerable settings were prioritised to Phase 1b, meaning teachers and staff who work regularly with students with support needs became eligible to receive the vaccine," he said.
"However, this should be for all education workers.
"Teachers and staff are clearly essential workers, and there are currently thousands of families in lockdown due to COVID-19 transmission in schools, including the families of teachers, principals and education support staff.
"This highlights the urgency of ensuring that the education workforce is as safe as possible from COVID-19 by prioritising their vaccination.
"If a school failed to deliver on targets like the Morrison government has failed to deliver on the vaccine roll out, you wouldn't hear the end of it.
"Federation will continue to pursue the matter, and whenever school returns, make sure that the Department of Education follows the public authorities' health advice.
"The health and safety of our students and teachers must be a priority."
The federal Department of Health told the Newcastle Herald the National Cabinet agreed on June 4 "to not proceed with the identification of 'other essential and high priority workers' for early prioritisation, given the difficulty defining these populations, and to instead proceed with priority cohorts based on age".
The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT acting branch secretary Carol Matthews said it's "not only in the interests of teachers and support staff to get vaccinated, but also the entire community".
She said the Delta variant was more transmissible than previous strains, particularly among children:
She said cases connected to four Sydney schools in the past week had created "great stress during school holidays".
"And if the outbreak is not contained by the end of the break, schools will again be facing closures, disrupting working families and businesses."
The IEU has asked employers to provide paid vaccination leave for employees unable to arrange vaccinations during holidays or outside work time.
"If schools are to reopen in term three they must be safe for staff and students. The same rules around mask wearing should apply to schools as they do in other workplaces."
Teachers and support staff wanted to get vaccinated, she said.
"Prioritising [them]... is the least the federal government could do to support them after the support they provided to their school communities over the past year."
