[ad_1]
(NEW YORK) – Roughly 9,000 New York Metropolis municipal staff have been given unpaid depart for refusing to adjust to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that went into impact Monday, and hundreds of metropolis firefighters have referred to as in sick in protest of the request , Mayor Invoice de Blasio mentioned.
About 9 out of 10 metropolis employees lined by the mandate have been vaccinated and there have been no disruptions in metropolis companies attributable to workers shortages, de Blasio advised reporters at his day by day information convention. New York has greater than 300,000 metropolis staff.
The hearth stations remained open, however 18 of the division’s 350 items had been out of order and “many items are understaffed,” mentioned fireplace chief Daniel Nigro. Plumbing employees carried out an extra pickup on Sunday to ensure garbage did not pile up, the mayor mentioned.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
Proceed studying: Younger persons are leaving their jobs in report numbers – and should not returning
“I need to thank everybody who was vaccinated,” mentioned de Blasio. “Thanks for getting vaccinated. Thanks for doing the best factor. Thanks for serving to us. “
Metropolis officers have challenged bitter opposition from a minority of employees on various public security considerations, together with cops and firefighters, and a pending authorized problem to the mandate by town’s largest police union.
As of Sunday, one in 4 uniformed firefighters within the metropolis had nonetheless not acquired the required first dose of the vaccine. About 1 in 6 cops and 1 in 6 plumbing employees had been nonetheless unvaccinated.
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea mentioned the overwhelming majority of the unvaccinated employees in his division have requested non secular or medical exemptions from the vaccination mandate. Up to now, solely 34 cops and 40 plainclothes cops have been given unpaid depart, he mentioned.
Greater than 3,500 metropolis employees had been vaccinated over the weekend. That was after 5 p.m. Friday to obtain a $ 500 bonus for displaying they’d acquired a dose of the vaccine however earlier than they had been to be taken on unpaid depart.
About 12,000 employees have utilized for non secular or medical exemptions. You’ll be able to keep on the job whereas metropolis officers assessment these functions.
About 2,300 firefighters had been sick, up from sometimes about 1,000 a day in what seemed to be a protest in opposition to the vaccine mandate, based on Nigro. The hearth division infirmary often sees round 200 folks a day, Nigro mentioned. For the previous week it has been 700 a day, most of them unvaccinated.
Proceed studying: American police say officers are resigning in droves. Federal information say in any other case
“I requested her to rethink this, to recollect her oath of workplace,” mentioned Nigro. “It impacts not solely the folks they serve, but in addition their brothers and sisters within the division who’re compelled to fill their positions.”
De Blasio mentioned town is watching to see if the hearth service union is coordinating sick depart and taking them to court docket if there’s proof of an unlawful strike. He mentioned firefighters discovered to be faking sickness are “successfully AWOL” and can face the self-discipline of the interior division.
“Individuals get into bother actually shortly when folks do not present as much as do their job, once they’re not likely sick,” mentioned de Blasio. “And we’ve each cause to consider that there are various individuals who declare to be sick however who should not. It’s not acceptable. “
Metropolis officers mentioned they had been ready for potential workers shortages and had been demanding vaccinated employees to work time beyond regulation.
The top of the union representing the New York firefighters who fought the vaccination mandate warned that public security could possibly be in danger. The hearth brigade agreed to take as much as 20% of their fireplace brigades out of service and to have 20% fewer ambulances in use.
“We’re right here at this time due to a mandate positioned on not solely our members, however all New York Metropolis staff, to have 9 days to make a life-changing determination about their profession, or whether or not or not they may take it on Vaccine, ”mentioned Andrew Ansbro, President of the Uniformed Firefighters Affiliation, at an early morning press convention.
Mayor Invoice de Blasio mentioned town’s prime public security precedence is stopping the unfold of COVID-19, which continues to kill a handful of individuals within the metropolis every single day.
[ad_2]
Discussion about this post