Union leader responds to federal vaccine requirement expansion, says collective bargaining rights apply
President Joe Biden unveiled his COVID-19 response plan to the nation, which includes sweeping vaccine requirements for millions of Americans.
At this point, more than 200 million Americans have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but President Biden said it’s not enough.
“This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Biden said.
Biden announced an expansion to his previous federal employees' vaccine mandate adding all federal workers of the executive branch and all contractors.
“If you want to work with the federal government and do business with us, get vaccinated,” Biden said.
Philip Glover oversees Pennsylvania union members of the American Federation of Government employees, serving as the District 3, National Vice President. After the president’s address, the phones started ringing.
“My office has taken calls from members that say they’re concerned about having to take a vaccine. What we’re telling them is number one, let’s see the order, and our general counsel will look at it and review it, look at what steps we can take to bargain over it,” Glover said.
He said his collective bargaining rights will be used. If the AFGE complies with the mandate not getting vaccinated will be subbed for regular testing. Glover said in that case, some may leave.
“They will seek other employment I think they are going to find out though if you look at what’s going on in the private sector there are companies that are right now ordering their employees to take the vaccine,” Glover said.
Biden’s plan also required that businesses that employ more than 100 people ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated. He is also expanding the requirement to hospitals, home health care, and other facilities.
“We have a percentage of people who are very concerned about the vaccine, then we have another whole range of people who work in our hospitals, in our prisons, you know, workplaces that are the meat inspectors, that work on these plants… They all want to go home at night. They want to be safe,” Glover said.
Biden said this plan will lead to 100 million more vaccinations.
