The Suva Retailers Association says some of their members have now entered negotiation phase with employees about compulsory vaccination.

Association President, Jitesh Patel says as the majority of the 170 members who have received the green light to operate under strict protocols, feel the need to protect their employees and customers.

Patel says the first phase will be to encourage workers to get vaccinated.

“Most of our members who have opened up are still negotiating with the staff, giving them time to think over, if they want to be vaccinated and most of them given their staff a month to think about it.”

Jitesh Patel [File Photo]

Patel says businesses are giving employees leeway to decide before it is made compulsory.

“We haven’t reached a stage where we are to starting to put pen to paper yet but we are at the negotiating and encouraging phase at the moment.”

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong had said every owner of a building or a business has the right to put in the kind of condition they feel are necessary.

Doctor Fong highlighted vaccination is key to breaking the chain of transmission.