President Joe Biden recently announced that all federal workers and contractors must show proof of the COVID-19 vaccination or submit to frequent COVID-19 testing if unvaccinated as part of a return to work initiative that will also impact Social Security employees.
Ralph de Juliis, the Social Security employee union leader recently provided a interview to National Public Radio regarding Biden’s mandate for federal workers and wasn’t necessarily opposed to the mandate, but obviously de Juliis doesn’t just represent vaccinated Social Security employees, he also represents unvaccinated employees and has to also advocate for these employees as well. A transcript from the interview can be found here. Below is part of the conversation between Brian Naylor from NPR and de Juliis.
NAYLOR: But other groups have problems with the Biden administration’s new rule. The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association issued a statement saying it was concerned by any move that would mandate the vaccine and that, quote, “forcing people to undertake a medical procedure is not the American way and is a clear civil rights violation.” Ralph De Juliis heads the union that represents some Social Security Administration employees.
RALPH DE JULIIS: Everyone is concerned because it’s a change and it’s unknown. The people who have got vaccinated think it’s a great thing because now when they have – when they do have to go into the offices, they know that there’s less chance of catching something from a co-worker.
NAYLOR: But De Juliis says workers who aren’t vaccinated are very, very concerned. He says the government is going to need to encourage those workers.
DE JULIIS: There hopefully will be some sort of incentive. It will not be stick ’cause having that (laughter) Q-tip shoved up your nose periodically if you don’t get the vaccine – that’s more of a stick rather than an incentive.
It clearly sounds like de Juliis is hinting at some sort of compensation for unvaccinated workers who have to go through extensive testing, but that doesn’t seem fair for employees who have already been vaccinated and would be safer to return to the office and resume their jobs.
