10 • September 16, 2021 - September 22, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Union Matters Get vaccinated George Gresham President of 1199SEIU
President George Gresham leads 1199SEIU, the nation’s largest healthcare union representing 450,000 members in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, and the District of Columbia.
By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff
ty and work productively to move our nation forward.” Biden’s plan also mandates that all Labor unions have showered praise federal employees receive the COVID on U.S. President Joe Biden’s COVID- vaccine. Refusing to do so would 19 action plan. result in fines of up to $14,000. Revealed earlier this month, But Republicans have promised Biden’s action plan includes forcing to push back against the mandate. all private businesses that employ The House Freedom Caucus, which more than 100 people to require the includes Congress Members Jim whole staff get the COVID vaccine or Jordan, Louie Gohmert and Debbie have them tested at least once a week. Lesko, released a statement labeling It’s something the policy “tyranthat AFL-CIO nical.” President Liz “The House Shuler believes Freedom Caucus should be done. opposes federal “The remask and vaccine surgence of mandates,” said COVID-19 reHouse Freedom quires swift Caucus Chairand immediman Andy Biggs. ate action, and “President Biden’s we commend invasive and unPresident Biden American vaccine for taking addimandate is anothBiden’s new plan mandates vaccines tional steps to er attempt by the help put an end for all federal employees Biden Regime to to this crisis,” expand its control stated Shuler. “Everyone should be over American’s daily lives.” vaccinated—as one step in stopping National Education Association the pandemic. Workers and unions President Becky Pringle doesn’t see should have a voice in shaping these anything unAmerican about the plan. policies. Workplace COVID-19 safety She said that she’s proud that nearly plans should also include mitigation 90% of all NEA members are fully vacmeasures like ventilation, removing cinated. infected individuals, masking and “Educators remain committed to training workers. These are necessary working together to ensure our local to prevent exposures and, in combi- schools are the safest places in the nation with vaccines, will get us out community for every student, eduof this pandemic.” cator and family,” stated Pringle. “As As part of the plan, the Centers students and educators go back to for Medicare and Medicaid Servic- school this year, we are focused on es (CMS) work in collaboration with keeping students safe, learning and the Centers for Disease Control and engaged. That is why the National Prevention (CDC) to vaccinate those Education Association strongly supwho work in health care. This in- ports President Biden’s new COVIDcludes the expansion of mandates 19 vaccinate-or-test requirements in for nursing home workers. Biden workplaces with 100 or more employalso said he would expand industri- ees and call for state vaccination real capacity to help support COVID-19 quirements for all educators.” recovery efforts including more proSome Republican governors have duction of masks. threatened the Biden administration American Public Health Associ- with lawsuits over the federal manation (APHA) Executive Director date. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Georges C. Benjamin, MD, pointed Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey are among out that the increase in coronavirus those who said they’re looking into all cases can be attributed to those who the ways they can fight back. Ducey refuse to get injected. took to social media to express his “This is now a pandemic of the un- disappointment with having to take vaccinated, and it is spilling over legal action. into our children, who cannot yet “This dictatorial approach is wrong, get their shots,” said Benjamin. “The un-American and will do far more solution is to get everyone who is harm than good,” Ducey stated on eligible their vaccinations. The pres- Twitter. “How many workers will be ident’s plan can achieve that, and we displaced? How many kids kept out are here to help. We call on those who of classrooms? How many businesshave spread misinformation and dis- es fined? The vaccine is and should tractions to put aside their negativi- be a choice.” (Photo courtesy of wildpixel via iStock)
There has been a lot of talk over the last few months about vaccination. The pros and alleged cons of taking the vaccine are all over social media and news broadcasts. New York City is pulling out all the stops to encourage residents to get vaccinated—including requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining and offering financial incentives. Despite these incentives, only 61% of New York residents have been vaccinated. Back when I was in school, 61% was a D: barely passing. We are barely passing this fight. With the Delta variant on the rise, we have an extremely small window to get a handle on COVID-19 before things get back to 2020 levels. My friends, I say this with all of my heart— it’s’ time to get vaccinated. I don’t know how fighting a deadly virus got to be so political. Maybe it is because the world has not faced anything like COVID-19 in our lifetimes; an unseen, deadly killer that can quickly be passed from person to person. Maybe it was the inaction of the Trump administration, and the continued inaction of state leaders in Florida and Texas. What I do know is that the window for defeating this virus in the near future, and the even more contagious Delta variant, is rapidly closing. This is why federal, state, and local governments, as well as some of our nation’s largest corporations are requiring their employees to get vaccinated. I received my first dose of the vaccine on January 20, 2021. I was among the first in my family to get vaccinated, but I wasn’t the first. My daughter Siana, an 1199 member, received her first dose before me, and let me tell you that I couldn’t have been more thrilled. As the proud father of three healthcare workers, and the proud Pop-Pop of four grandchildren, it is critical to me that we defeat this pandemic. My oldest grandson, Jayce, just started Pre-K. He was so excited to start, and even took his time to show me his new sneakers, backpack, and lunchbox. He was so cute and reminded me so much of his dad, my only son Rakim, on his first day of school. Jayce’s first day photos look different than Rakim’s, as Jayce’s outfit also included a tiny mask to help protect him from COVID-19. At four years old, Jayce is too young to get vaccinated, as are his baby sister and baby cousin. I know many of you are in the same boat with little ones whose smiles and sweet voices melt your heart. If you’re anything like
me, you’d literally do anything for them. If you haven’t already, I’m begging you to add getting vaccinated to that list of things you to do protect them. Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that getting vaccinated is a cure-all, because it’s not. But the vaccines offer us the best defense available against this deadly plague of a virus, and a path forward back to some semblance of normalcy. Statistics show that the fully vaccinated get less sick, and fewer of the vaccinated who do catch it die from it than the unvaccinated. Read almost any news story about the COVID waves now washing over several southern states and one fact immediately stands out: doctors say the vast majority of people now dying from COVID are unvaccinated. I keep wondering how these people must feel, to be lying in a hospital bed, fighting for each breath. I’ve even heard reports of COVID patients asking for the vaccine as they lay dying, only to be told that it’s too late. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can still fight this thing to protect ourselves, loved ones, our neighbors, and our communities. Our 1199 members have been on the frontlines of this pandemic from the beginning. It is safe to say each of us know someone who had COVID. Far too many of us have watched this horrible virus take a life or felt the unimaginable pain of being unable to be in the hospital room as a loved one fought for her or his life. And COVID is still killing, ironically now much more in those states where governors and residents have rejected vaccines and mask wearing requirements. Viruses don’t care about politics. We cannot forget those terrifying first months of 2020 when there was no vaccine. Back then we didn’t know how COVID killed, and health officials could only speculate how it was transmitted from person to person. Let’s not forget a time when treatments were uncertain, and we were told unless we could not breathe, not to come to a hospital emergency room. We must never forget the refrigerated trailers parked outside hospitals to collect the dead. These trailers have reappeared in some southern states and are being used for the same purpose. Get vaccinated, like me, because it’s the right thing to do for yourself, your family, your community, your city. Get vaccinated because it is the right thing to do. Lives depend on it.
Unions approve of Biden’s COVID-19 action plan
