They don't always see eye to eye but on Monday the Illawarra's powerful business and union leaders rolled up their sleeves for a common goal.
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And, they were quick to point out that it was a 'no-brainer' to unite together in support of Australian Community Media's Vax The Nation campaign.
The campaign encourages those eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine to do so as soon as possible to help protect our standard of health, lift our quality of living, and boost our economy.
On Monday, the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC) and Business Illawarra joined forces to call on all businesses and employees of the region to support the campaign and get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth said people aged 40 to 49 could get vaccinated as early as Tuesday.
"I know I will take up the opportunity," he said.
"We feel it is very important that everyone gets their vaccinations done when their time comes up.
"We are calling on this from our point of view because businesses can't afford to continue to be shut down at a local level.
"There is also concerns at a larger level as even our manufacturing sector can't deal with the international borders being closed in perpetuity, and they will be unless we all do our part and get vaccinated.
"I think on an individual level we just need to look at what we are going to do to keep the borders open, keep the economy open.
I think we only need to look to our southern border [Victoria] to realise that we are only a day away from an outbreak that will shut down the economy.
- Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth
"I understand we all have busy schedules and there is a degree of complacency because it has been handled so well in this country, but I think we only need to look to our southern border [Victoria] to realise that we are only a day away from an outbreak that will shut down the economy."
Read more: No 'snap back' after Melbourne's lockdown
Mr Zarth's boss Amy Harper added it was important businesses made it as easy as possible for their staff to get vaccinated.
"That means allowing their workers to go and get vaccinated when the opportunity presents itself and also allowing some flexibility if there are side effects. If people need time off as a result of being vaccinated, they should get all the time they need," Ms Harper said.
SCLC president Tina Smith concurred people should be rolling up their sleeves and getting the jab.
"But we should prioritise our frontline workers, especially around our early childhood services and schools," she said.
"Everyone needs to be encouraged to get the jab but the vaccinations need to be there, the supply needs to be there to cope with the demand.
"If we are going to keep the Illawarra chugging along, the economy moving on we need to have all these ducks lined up and all of them working simultaneously.
"if we don't have a high percentage of people vaccinated, we will just be living this nightmare for a lot lot longer."
if we don't have a high percentage of people vaccinated, we will just be living this nightmare for a lot lot longer.
- SCLC president Tina Smith
SCLC secretary Arthur Rorris added this issue also required a community response.
"In this community employers and unions both agree that vaccinations is not only the way forward but there is a degree of urgency about it," he said.
"It is so so important that we get a very strong united message out there, that everybody in this community needs to get behind this and we commend the Illawarra Mercury for taking a stand on this issue and running a public campaign.
"It is what we all support and I think it is important to say that publicly so that nobody has got any doubt in their minds that we fully fully support vaccination - it is the only way we are going to get through all this."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
