The New York State Public Employees Federation, AFT/SEIU, AFL-CIO, representing 59,000 professional, scientific, and technical employees, distributes this PEFonline News to PEF active informed members and to labor, political, community, and education leaders.

PEF Welcomes State's Decision To Withdraw Vaccine Mandate

Albany - Health care workers represented by The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) and Albany Attorney Terence Kindlon are pleased the state has withdrawn the controversial flu mandate.

The emergency regulation imposed by the state Health Department would have forced tens of thousands of health care workers to be vaccinated against the seasonal and H1N1 viruses by November 30 or face possible disciplinary action, including termination.

"This was the proper and appropriate action for the state to take," said PEF President Kenneth Brynien. "This was an extremely passionate issue for many of our members."

PEF and Kindlon had both been granted a temporary restraining order October 16 suspending the regulation and were aggressively moving forward with their lawsuits seeking to nullify and void the emergency regulation.

"While we are pleased the state has decided to rescind this regulation, we will continue to encourage our members to get vaccinated against the seasonal and H1N1 flu as we always have. Our opposition was with the regulation mandating the vaccine as a condition of employment," Brynien added.

PEF is the state’s second-largest, state employee union, representing 59,000 professional, scientific and technical employees, including 15,000 health care workers, approximately 5,000 of whom were covered by the emergency regulation.

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