Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, speaking at a Monday press conference, reported that 94% of the city’s workforce has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The steady uptick of workers getting inoculated and “productive” talks with unions, Wu said, prompted extending the deadline for enforcing the city’s vaccine mandate by another week.
No unvaccinated employees will be placed on leave or disciplined until after Jan. 30.
The latest extension comes more than a month after Wu announced that Boston municipal workers would lose an option to take weekly COVID-19 tests instead of taking a vaccine. The original deadline for enforcement was set for mid-January, but the mayor pushed it back twice — most recently Sunday. Sources say that different unions are trying to negotiate provisions for non-compliant members to keep their jobs.
The mayor said 18,270 employees are complying with the mandate, which requires proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this month and full vaccination next month.
“I’m incredibly encouraged by this progress, and we continue to have very productive conversations with our union partners about the collective bargaining impacts and we are giving this one more week to make sure that we realize that progress,” Wu said.
Neither the mayor nor the press office would say how many workers are out of compliance, but Monday’s numbers suggest about 1,100 workers may be at risk of being placed on unpaid leave.
Sources familiar with the details of bargaining with the Boston Teacher’s Union said that group is attempting maintain a provision from a prior agreement that allows members to continue testing instead of being vaccinated through June, motivated by a fear of disrupting an already chaotic school year.
Wu said Monday “that is not where we are at this moment” when asked about the BTU’s bargaining goals.
Meanwhile, Wu said the city is working through an agreement with the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, which would provide compliant officers two mental health and wellness days and spell out rehire terms for those who resign over the mandate, but then get vaccinated later.
The BPPA’s bargaining terms have historically been adopted by others, but two police unions have broken from the association's lead, joining forces with the Boston firefighters union to try to go through the courts.
As Wu spoke, a group of anti-vaccine mandate firefighters stood outside City Hall in protest. The group is one of three unions that have vowed to continue a court fight over the policy. Earlier this month, a state court upheld Boston's vaccine mandate.
Wu did not comment specifically on the firefighters union beyond saying the department has a 91% vaccination rate. The public school system, she said, has a 94% vaccination rate; the police department and public library system are at 95%; and the parks and inspectional services departments are at 96% and 97%, respectively.
Wu also did not rule out additional extensions if progress on compliance continues.
Asked whether the extensions are an indication of wavering now that she is faced with the prospect of putting city employees out of work, Wu reaffirmed that she is committed to seeing it through.
“We are very clear that this policy is necessary and important for public safety and health of city workers as well as the public at-large,” Wu responded. “We’re working through the collective bargaining process to implement this in a way that will bring our municipal partners along with us, so we’re feeling good about the progress we’re seeing and this one more week that we are giving our workforce to get vaccinated.”
