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* Bruce Rauner tried the same sort of thing with AFSCME and it didn’t work. I suppose we’ll see soon enough. Press release…
After recently reaching Illinois’ first union agreement requiring vaccines for certain state workers, Governor JB Pritzker announced two new agreements with the Illinois Nurses Association and Illinois Federation of Public Employees that will ensure nearly 1,300 more state employees are protected with the COVID-19 vaccines.
The agreement with the Illinois Nurses Association covers about 1,100 nurses working in 24/7 facilities like McFarland Mental Health Facility, Quincy Veterans’ Home and Jacksonville Correctional Center. The agreement with the Illinois Federation of Public Employees covers about 160 employees working in Human Services and Veterans’ Affairs. Employees must receive their first shot by October 14. Should an employee elect a two-dose vaccine, they must receive the second shot by November 18.
State employees who remain unvaccinated pose a significant risk to individuals in Illinois’ congregate facilities. Therefore, if employees do not receive the vaccine or an exemption by the dates identified, progressive disciplinary measures will be implemented, which may ultimately lead to discharge. The agreement includes a process whereby employees can seek an exemption based on medical contraindications or sincerely-held religious beliefs.
“Vaccinations are helping to keep our schools and businesses open, protecting our children, our workers and our customers from getting sick with this deadly virus,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’ve now reached three agreements to ensure the workers at our congregate facilities will be taking the most powerful action they can by getting vaccinated to keep themselves and the residents they serve safe. I’m proud to reach these agreements and applaud the Illinois Nurses Association and Illinois Federation of Public Employees for working to keep our state safe. Millions more residents are being called to do their part, and I thank President Biden for his leadership in rallying employers to keep people healthy.”
Illinois reached its first union agreement with VR-704 on September 20, 2021, covering 260 supervisory employees at the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). The first agreement came after Gov. Pritzker announced that all state workers who work in state-run congregate facilities would be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, spanning IDOC, DJJ, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), subject to bargaining. Negotiations between the unions representing the rest of the workforce impacted by this mandate are ongoing.
To further encourage vaccinations under the agreement with the unions, employees will receive an additional personal day. If the vaccine administration is not available during an employee’s regularly scheduled shift, the employee may be compensated at their regular pay for the time taken to receive the vaccine. In addition, vaccinated employees will receive paid “COVID time,” so that if a vaccinated employee gets COVID-19, or must quarantine due to COVID-19, they will receive a period of paid time off without using their benefit time.
“We are pleased that we were able to collaborate with CMS to reach this agreement. Our union always strives to ensure that members’ rights and safety are protected, and their voices are heard,” said Matt Emigholz, President of the Illinois Federation of Public Employees, Local 4408. “We believe that this agreement provides options for employees while offering them a way to do what they are committed to — providing excellent service to the citizens of Illinois.”
The administration has taken extensive measures to make the COVID-19 vaccine equitable and accessible. The Pritzker administration established 25 mass vaccination sites. The Illinois National Guard supported more than 800 mobile vaccination clinics on top of an additional 1,705 state-supported mobile sites that focused on communities hardest hit by the pandemic, young residents, and rural communities. The COVID-19 vaccine has been available for healthcare and nursing home workers since December 15, 2020, and open to teachers since January 25, 2021.
Vaccination is the key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and returning to normal life. All Illinois residents over the age of 12 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost and proof of immigration status is not required to receive the vaccine. To find a vaccination center near you, visit vaccines.gov.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 3:11 pm
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Peer pressure may help .. or not.
Don’t get me wrong; I think everyone who can should be vaccinated. I:m going to guess they negotiated it as a workplace safety issue.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 3:45 pm
An extra personal day; paid time off to get the shot if needed; and paid Covid time if you’re sick or in quarantine; those are decent terms. As an AFSCME member, I think that is a good agreement to protect members’ health and safety. What do you say AFSCME Council 31?
Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:00 pm
Rauner indeed tried this, touted his success, the realty in this twist is AFSCME as a labor organization is playing itself, and looks weak to the smaller, louder wing of its membership as leadership worries about its own power.
Good on these unions.
Showing you care about membership and others is a credit to you.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:08 pm
“Bruce Rauner tried the same sort of thing with AFSCME and it didn’t work.”
I was directly involved in communicating with members at my agency about the horrible contract Rauner was trying to implement. At that time most of the members I spoke to were supportive of the bargaining team’s position. I think this is different. I speculate that there are probably a majority of members who support a vaccine mandate. Many people I’ve spoken with do. (It’s not scientific or conclusive which is why I just speculate.) I’ve made my position known with my Local leadership. I encourage others to do the same.
Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:11 pm
good. now call the NBA.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:12 pm
Everyone should take a few deep breaths and recognize that there’s going to be a mandate for all state employees sometime in the near future as the pandemic progresses.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:17 pm
Steve, why do you need extra bennies to get something everyone else is doing for basically nothing? Paid time to get the vax is a no brainer, but extra time off, don’t think so.
Comment by Chief Nottakuk Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:22 pm
“An extra personal day; paid time off to get the shot if needed; and paid Covid time if you’re sick or in quarantine; those are decent terms.”
As a retired AFSCME member and former officer in my local, I couldn’t agree more. Those are excellent terms. Until now, AFSCME has always been supportive of policies that we help to create a safe workplace for AFSCME members and those they serve.
Its time for AFSCME leadership to step up and resolve this issue.
Comment by John Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:24 pm
Candy, are you by chance related to Silence Dogood?
Comment by AnonymousFool Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:26 pm
===…should take a few deep breaths and recognize that there’s going to be a mandate for all state employees sometime in the near future as the pandemic progresses.===
That’s not the issue to this for labor, as I see it.
AFSCME as a labor organization is playing itself, and looks weak to the smaller, louder wing of its membership as leadership worries about its own power.
This is all at the cost of membership’s safety, health, and well-being.
Sometimes it’s about how an organization goes about it’s business and how that business is defined with its charge of existing.
So far AFSCME fails at both.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:29 pm
Gimme, gimme, gimme when we are in the middle of a pandemic and you can book a vaccine appointment at a CVS or Walgreens pretty easily makes asking for more than time off to get the shot ridiculous. Participate in stopping the worst health crisis of our lifetimes.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:34 pm
They don’t care about members health and safety it is not their job to force someone to be safe it is up to The individual to be safe
Comment by Lama Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:58 pm
Amalia and Chief,
First, I don’t need extra time off or “extra bennies, and I am personally participating in “stopping the worst health crisis of our lifetimes.
I’m already fully vaccinated, and will get the booster as soon as it’s available regardless of whether it’s mandated or not. Because it’s the right thing to do to protect the people around me.
I was only pointing out they seemed like pretty good terms negotiated between the State and those unions. I am fairly confident somebody from AFSCME leadership reads this blog although I have no direct knowledge of this, and I know other AFSCME members do. My message was more directed at them.
If that’s what it takes to get a vaccine mandate implemented for state employees, then let’s get it done to help “stop the worst health crisis of out lifetimes”.
Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 4:59 pm
Have to say this is a very acceptable exchange. Can’t imagine what objections AFSCME could possibly have at this point. Just agree on a date already and give me my extra personal day. I would hope an overwhelming majority of members would agree.
Comment by Captain Obvious Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 5:09 pm
“it is up to The individual to be safe”
You don’t know U.S labor history do you. I recommend you watch Harlan County, USA (It’s available on YouTube for free.) then come back and explain how those coal minors safety were an individual responsibility. That type of occurrence was happening across the country at that time.
In the workplace, health and safety issues that affect one member affect others. A core reason unions exist is to improve working conditions (or maintain them) related to workplace health and safety. AFSCME seems to be lacking in this regard at the moment.
Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 5:16 pm
=== They don’t care about members health and safety it is not their job to force someone to be safe it is up to The individual to be safe===
Tell us you know nothing about the history of organized labor with saying you know nothing about the history of organized labor, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 5:24 pm
Both of my shots took about 1 1/2 hours each (walk in/walk out plus drive time) at the local hospital. So I can see why state employees need 8 hours time away from work to a get a shot. Whatever works to get this done.
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Oct 7, 21 @ 5:54 pm
==State employees who remain unvaccinated pose a significant risk to individuals in Illinois’ congregate facilities. Therefore, if employees do not receive the vaccine or an exemption by the dates identified, progressive disciplinary measures will be implemented, which may ultimately lead to discharge. ==
It’s not just state employees working in congregate facilities. It’s all of them. Get the vaxes mandated for all state employees. And don’t offer a testing exemption. It should be get vaccinated or get fired.
And six months after your second dose, the booster shot should be mandated for all state employees, or get fired.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Oct 8, 21 @ 4:58 am
I’m also a state employee, and an AFSCME member, and I’m vaccinated. I support mandatory mask mandates and mandatory testing, but no vaccine mandate. Injecting something into one’s body should not be a condition of employment.
Comment by Coco Friday, Oct 8, 21 @ 8:04 am
=== should not be a condition of employment.===
The Supreme Court doesn’t see it that way.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 8, 21 @ 8:09 am
I wonder how many of the nurses were unvaccinated before the agreement. Most healthcare providers got vaccinated early and have no qualms about vaccination.
Comment by Unionman Friday, Oct 8, 21 @ 8:40 am