According to the mayor’s office, New York City officials fired over 1,000 workers who refused to comply with the coronavirus vaccine mandate.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Monday’s report stated that the 1,430 workers who lost jobs represented less than 1% of the city’s 370,000-person workforce. There were far fewer terminations than anticipated before Friday’s deadline.
Nearly 4,000 employees received notices last month from officials stating that they had to show proof they received at most two shots. Otherwise, they would be fired.
According to AP, three-quarters of these workers were on leave for several months without pay. They had missed a deadline for being vaccinated earlier in order to keep their jobs,” said the report.
Bill de Blasio, the then-New York City Mayor (D), announced in August the Key to NYC Pass, a vaccination passport program that prohibited the unvaccinated to go to restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues within the city.
Now, Mayor Eric Adams (D) explained that hundreds of employees had shown proof of vaccinations or received shots after being told that they would lose their jobs. The AP article continued:
Adams stated in a statement that “City workers were on the frontlines during the pandemic and they are now showing their willingness to do the right things to protect themselves, all New Yorkers,” Adams added. “Our goal was to vaccinate, but not terminate. City workers have stepped up and achieved that goal.
About 64% of the 1,430 workers who were fired worked in the city’s education department. According to the United Federation of Teachers, a union representing public school teachers, 700 of its members were given notice last week that they would be dismissed. The union sued along with other teachers to stop the firings. However, a judge ruled in favor of the city on Thursday.
The appeal of several Department of Education employees was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court last week.
Tens of thousands of workers marched across New York’s Brooklyn Bridge in protest against the mandates for the coronavirus vaccine.
Breitbart News reported that the anti-mandate protest was held Monday after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced last week that he would mandate vaccinations for city workers. This vaccine affects 160,500 city employees including first responders.
Adams stated in January that he was close to mandating coronavirus booster shots for civic workers.
The mayor said that if necessary, he and his council members would be willing to make that mandatory. However, he encouraged them to start doing that now.
