The public support for President Joe Biden's leadership that spanned more than 50 labor unions during the campaign appeared to be splintering this week, owing to varied reactions to his plan to force federal workers to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine or face regular testing and other limitations.
Officials from the Biden administration tried to convey that the urgent actions which were taken last week to control a spike in Delta variant COVID-19 infections were vital to keeping Americans safe. However, the country is still considerably better off than it was earlier in the pandemic. President Joe Biden's new mandate that federal workers commit to being vaccinated or face rigorous mitigating measures was presented by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as an office safety policy.
Supporters resist Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine requirement
Biden's presidential campaign was fueled by his pledge to be "the most pro-union president you've ever seen." Several of the country's biggest federations, unions, teamsters, and brotherhoods demanded an embrace by backing his candidacy. However, even before Biden's statement, there were rumblings of discontent among the federal employees. Preemptive concerns were voiced by specific organizations and agencies of significant groups of workers, as per ABC News.
Following the announcement, an American Postal Workers Union (APWU) representative stressed that, while their members work for the government, they are an autonomous organization that is not bound by Biden's new policy. According to a White House spokesperson, employees of independent agencies are not obliged to be vaccinated although they are highly urged to do so.
Biden's new policy is a choice, not a mandate: either get vaccinated or suffer possibly uncomfortable consequences. Employees and contractors from the federal government will be required to "attest to their immunization status" by presenting documentation.
Those who refuse to get fully vaccinated or produce proof of vaccination must wear a mask at work, keep a distance from others, and get tested for the virus once or twice a week; they may also be barred from official travel. This comes as Biden grapples with declining vaccination rates and the exponential growth of the Delta variant; both of which jeopardize hard-won victories in the battle against COVID-19.
Major union groups reacted with a primarily lukewarm response after the new vaccine policy was set out Thursday, with many members raising worries about personal liberties, privacy, and the policy's implementation.
Last week, the government made a remarkable shift in its strategy to combat the virus since mandates had previously been seen as generally off-limits due to the risk of political backlash and concerns that they would push people away from vaccinations. The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases was over 78,000 new cases each day as of Saturday, about 2.5 times what it was two weeks earlier.
Per CNN via MSN, Buttigieg said on Sunday that Biden's new guidelines should serve as a model for private companies; many of which announced employee obligations ahead of the federal statute.
Biden's federal vaccination campaign implemented
Unions were expected to seek a say in the new rule, according to the White House. In a memo sent Thursday, the administration's task group on workplace safety urged agencies to "satisfy applicable collective bargaining obligations" while implementing new vaccination requirements.
Nonetheless, public sector unions' demands may hinder Biden's federal vaccination campaign; and their opposition suggests that comparable attempts by states and municipalities may encounter similar challenges. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio stated earlier this week that city employees must be vaccinated or tested weekly.
De Blasio was soon met with opposition by first responder unions who claimed that just around half of its members were vaccinated, which was lower than the city average. Biden's directive would have a huge impact on millions of people, both federal employees and contractors.
The Department of Veterans Affairs forced frontline healthcare employees to get vaccinated earlier this week. Biden has urged the Pentagon to look at how and when service members would be compelled to obtain the vaccine, The Hill through MSN reported.
Related Article: Joe Biden Sets New COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines Including $100 State and Local Incentives, Federal Workers' Mandates
