President Joe Biden July 29 announced a number of new steps to get more Americans vaccinated and stop the spread of COVID-19, including requiring federal workers to attest whether they are vaccinated.
Federal employees will be asked to “attest” to whether or not they are vaccinated. Those who decline to reveal their vaccination status, or attest to not being vaccinated will be required to undergo tests for COVID-19 on a regular basis, wear a mask at work, and physically distance from others. They will also face restrictions on official travel.
AFGE will demand to negotiate with the Biden administration over the implementation of these new requirements. In the meantime, AFGE urges members to get vaccinated and help our country end the pandemic.
“We expect that the particulars of any changes to working conditions, including those related to COVID-19 vaccines and associated protocols, will be properly negotiated with our bargaining units prior to implementation,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley.
“While we await specific proposals and anticipate the negotiation process, we encourage all of our members who are able to take advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated and help our nation put an end to this deadly pandemic.”
The Delta variant has driven up COVID cases in the United States and around the world. The new data suggest that the Delta variant spreads as easily as chicken pox and causes more severe illness.
AFGE calls ruling a major step towards restoring federal employees legally guaranteed collective bargaining rights and looks forward to arguing our own case in court.
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AFGE has partnered with other labor unions and allied organizations to form Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network.
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AFGE and other AFL-CIO and unions representing workers across private and public sector industries sued the Trump administration over its dismantling of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
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