OLYMPIA – The Washington Federation of State Employees is suing Gov. Jay Inslee over his requirement that all state employees, and healthcare and education workers get a coronavirus vaccine or lose their jobs.
The governor’s proclamation requires vaccination by Oct. 18.
To comply anyone starting with the two-shot Moderna or Pfizer vaccines have until only Sept. 6 to get their initial shot.
Those who opt for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine have to get it before Oct. 4 to be vaccinated by the deadline.
Under the lawsuit filed in Thursday County Superior Court on Thursday, Aug. 26, the mandate allegedly violates collective bargaining contracts with the employee union, noting representatives of the governor’s office failed to bargain in good faith.
The lawsuit also argues that without agreement, union members will be “harmed and impaired.”
Federation President Mike Yestramiski called out the governor for his edict, and the failure to bargain in good faith.
“Our union’s top priority is health and safety – for staff and the public we serve,” he said. “That is why we need the state to make a good faith effort to bargain and to really think through how they’re going to implement this mandate in a safe, fair and consistent manner.”
The order has sparked protests around the state, as some health care workers, educators and other resist efforts to force them to get a vaccine.
Vaccine opponents note the vaccines don’t work as claimed.
Initially, most vaccines were expected to be a single shot. That quickly became two shots, for some vaccines. And now, officials are calling for boosters. The change has occurred in just six months.
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