AFGE expects to bargain with agencies following President Joe Biden’s Sept. 9 announcement of new federal COVID-19 workforce protocols.

As the highly contagious Delta variant is ravaging the country, AFGE is also urging members to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others and help end the COVID-19 pandemic so we all can get back to our normal lives.

“The data are clear. Getting vaccinated isn’t just the best way for us to end this pandemic, it is the best way for us to protect each other in the workplace,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley.

Since President Biden made his first major announcement about changing COVID-19 protocols for the federal workforce in response to the surging Delta variant, we have said that changes like this should be negotiated with our bargaining units where appropriate.

In the case of a vaccine mandate, the scope of bargaining is likely to be limited. Nevertheless, workers deserve to have a voice in all those areas that are negotiable, including procedures and appropriate arrangements - none of which should violate the provisions of any existing AFGE contract.

Our position on the need to negotiate around these new provisions has not changed. Our union expects any necessary bargaining to take place prior to implementation, and we urge every AFGE member and federal worker who is able to get vaccinated as soon as possible.