Labor leaders and White House officials clashed behind the scenes after Biden publicly stated Tuesday that the White House was looking into mandates regarding vaccines for federal employees. Two people familiar with the talks said that White House officials reached out and informed union leaders about the possibility of federal agencies mandating vaccinations. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Monday that it was requiring that a percentage of its employees get vaccinated and be tested regularly.According to a person familiar with the discussions, the White House made clear that the VA was the first agency to be vaccinated and other agencies will follow its lead. Since the weekend, serious discussions have been taking place about federal employees' vaccination requirements. White House officials and agency officials discussed a agency-by agency approach to compel their vaccination.Two people briefed on the discussion said that labor leaders called the move premature. They complained that the move would trigger a multitude of exemption requests and feared it would further alienate a portion of their membership already unlikely to be vaccinated.According to a source familiar with the White House strategy, no decision has been made on Tuesday regarding the implementation of a mandatory vaccination program for federal employees. The source stated that the administration is considering attesting workers' vaccination. This could be done by either confirming their vaccination status or adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols such as regular testing and mandatory mask wear.The American Federation of Government Employees represents federal workers who are unionized and declined to be interviewed.Parts of the labor force reacted strongly to the splits and divisions in the workforce. They were trying to comply with health protocols after a spike in unvaccinated people being exposed to the highly contagious delta variant. These also show the challenges that the White House faces in getting all of the country vaccinated. Even their supposed allies are unable to convince all of their members to get the vaccine.Interviews with over half a dozen labor leaders, local union members, and labor consultants revealed that the labor movement is still struggling with the public healthcare crisis and that a significant portion of its diverse membership does not want to be forced to have the shot. Although the AFT rejected the idea that members should be forced to get vaccinated, it did praise Tuesday's update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommended that all Americans, vaccinated and not, who live in areas with high or significant Covid-19 transmission, wear masks indoors.Biden is the only president to have spoken so forcefully about their union relationship. Biden has repeatedly called organized labor a close ally, and promised to pursue policies that would reverse decades of decline in membership. The International Association of Fire Fighters is the most prominent union close to Biden. According to its website, the group has a special relationship and is heavily involved in Biden's primary campaign. It also stated that it wouldn't require its members to be vaccinated, despite White House pressure.We are not imposing any mandates. Tim Burns, the press secretary of the IAFF, stated that we are not advocating vaccination mandates. We want to ensure that our members are safe while on the job. We encourage them to get vaccinated and communicate with their local affiliates.Interviews with local labor leaders and national leaders elected by their members revealed that they hoped the White House and the CDC would send a clear signal about the mandates to protect them from being forced to do so or face a backlash from the rank-and-file.Unions argue that mandates from leaders would be less effective because vaccines have become so politicized. This could only alienate some members. They have urged leadership to concentrate on outreach and incentive programs that have proven effective in getting rank-and-file members vaccinated. Many unions have negotiated with employers throughout the pandemic in order to offer perks to their workers. Although the Association of Flight Attendants has not yet explicitly endorsed a vaccine mandate for United Airlines, it did negotiate an optional program that provided three additional vacation days for United Airlines flight attendants who had received the vaccine.One labor consultant said that Trumka's public comments were likely to signal other unions that this is the direction federal policy was headed and to encourage them to join in. Trumka, as president of the AFL-CIO, represents a group of labor organizations that acts as a leader voice for large sections of organized labor.The consultant said that his isolation from rank-and file membership may mean that he is less likely to face direct blowback from members of affiliate unions. This was because the person was not authorized by the union to speak for him.Trumka stated that it is important to be aware of the environment around you when you return to work. Everyone in the workplace will be at risk if you return to work and are not vaccinated. We don't know if you have been vaccinated so we cannot make arrangements to ensure that you and everyone else are safe.The two largest education unions in the country, The National Education Association (NEA) and the AFT, have so far declined to call for mandatory vaccines. The NEA suggests that teachers have the option to undergo weekly testing. However, the AFT believes it should be determined in contract negotiations between workers and employers.Local union chapters are closer to members than national leadership. They have also made statements against vaccine mandates. New York City and California governments announced that they will require public employees to be vaccinated.POLITICO was informed by the AFSCME 37 District Council, New York City's largest public employee union. However, the local strongly encourages its members get the shot and even books appointments for them.The President of Service Employees International Union 1199 (which represents workers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) also condemned the University of Maryland Medical Systems' June decision to mandate the vaccine for its employees.George Gresham, president of our unions, stated that a hard-handed approach won't work and will only frustrate the healthcare heroes who have been fighting this pandemic daily for the past 15 months. The 1199 SEIU chapter representing Maryland, D.C., released a statement. To help us overcome this pandemic, we agree that free, frequent, and easily accessible testing, along with vaccination, is a crucial tool.Employers have generally been granted permission by federal workplace civil rights agencies to require that their employees get vaccinated. However, there are some limitations. Federal agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, advises that employers must make accommodations for employees who are unable to receive the vaccine due to their religious beliefs, disability, or other reasons.However, if a worker refuses to be vaccinated due to financial hardship, the company may terminate the worker.Juan Perez contributed to the report.
