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NEW YORK – Hospital workers with 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rallied on Thursday against the New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s vaccination mandate.
Pharmacist John Simonian joined hundreds of his union members to protest outside the hospital.
“Force is not the answer, and the mandate to force people to the barrel of a gun is not fair,” Simonian said.
Simonian has been a pharmacist at the hospital for 35 years. He said the hospital’s mandate that all employees get vaccinated is a slippery slope.
“If you’re forcing something to do in one area, there’s a chance you are forcing me to do something in another area,” Simonian said.
The hospital announced in June that it would require all of its 48,000 employees to receive a first dose by September 1, unless there is a medical or religious exemption. NYU Langone Health announced a similar plan.
Meanwhile, the city has said it will require its health workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 tests. Protesters at this private hospital say they would like the same option.
“It’s my body, my choice, isn’t it?” I want them to give us a choice, ”said Victor Espinal, an environmental services worker at NewYork-Presbyterian.
Hospital staff were among the first group to gain access to COVID-19 vaccines when the city launched its efforts last December. Simonian said the workers should be trusted to make the decision.
“I know other members who are vaccinated, and they think it should be a personal choice and are trying to do it for the right reasons for yourself and for your colleagues,” he said.
In a statement, NewYork-Presbyterian wrote, “The increase in the Delta variant is a reminder that the pandemic is not over, and we must remain vigilant. We have heard that our employees have questions about immunization, and we listen to their concerns as we provide support and education.
Sources say there have been negotiations between the union and New York-Presbyterian, and workers here hope the hospital is listening.
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