Soldiers in stores? Enforcing Victoria’s mandatory masks law is a job for police or the army, not retail workers, the SDAunion says.
Australia's largest union representing retail employees has called on the Victorian government to bring in troops from the Australian Defence Force to help enforce the wearing of masks in stores.
However, government authorities have said it will be the responsibility of retailers to administer the new laws, a move which may draw the ire of unions and employers. Soldiers assist Victoria Police on a roadside checkpoint on the Geelong Freeway as Melbourne went into lockdown in mid-July.The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association has said it should not be incumbent on retail employees to enforce the law and bar non-mask wearing customers from entry, saying it could expose them to potential abuse or violence.
SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer said shopping centres have the potential to attract significant numbers of people, which could enhance the risk of spreading COVID-19 if laws are not enforced."If a government announces that masks are mandatory, the police should enforce the law, to do otherwise puts the health and safety of retail workers and shoppers at risk as well as sending a mixed message to the community," he said.
"That responsibility falls fairly and squarely on the employer, not to staff," it said. "Security and police should be provided, if need be, to make sure the safety of workers is protected."understand that it will be up to workplaces to enforce the policy, with directions to alert authorities if people do not comply.
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