Stephen Andrew statement on unions and mandated jabs
Police unions across America are fighting mandates, describing them as “an affront” to people’s civil liberties. In LA, a group of LAPD employees are suing the city over its jab mandates, claiming they violate their constitutional rights. More than half of the LAPD department’s 12,000 employees remain unvaccinated. Vaccination rates are similarly low in the New York City Police Department, with only 51% having received at least one jab.
The low uptake among New York’s officers has led Mayor Bill de Blasio to say he will withhold paychecks for any NYPD employees who refuse to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing—a directive all four of the city’s police unions have reportedly said they will challenge in court.
The President of the city’s largest police union told the New York Post last month: “If the City attempts to impose a vaccine mandate on PBA members, we will take legal action to defend our members’ right to make such personal medical decisions”.
In Oregon, the Governor is being sued by a group of state troopers and firefighters over last month’s mandate.
Meanwhile, Chicago, the city’s largest police union vowed to take legal action if the city’s Mayor mandates the jab for all city employees. “It cannot be mandated. It’s that simple” the union’s president said. He later went so far as to liken vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. “We’re in America, g*ddamn it. We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. This ain’t Nazi f***ing Germany.’ What the f***?” he said.
Other police union leaders, including those in San Jose and Cincinnati, have warned authorities that mandates would cause staffing problems for departments that are already having trouble recruiting and keeping officers. The Fraternal Order of Police, a national union representing over 350,000 officers, also opposes the mandates.
A statement from the union said it would “take every step and use every available approach to protect our members and their rights”.
In Portland, Oregon, the Mayor decided not to impose a mandate on the city’s police force, after the police union warned that requiring vaccines for officers would lead to mass resignations and massive staff shortages. The Portland Police Association told the Mayor police officers are “so deeply” opposed to mandatory vaccination that “some will leave the profession before accepting a mandate.”
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