Posted:
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
A number of you have asked about accelerated eligibility for vaccines for utility workers. At this time, we are in the next tier of the New York State vaccine distribution plan. The IBEW International Office has asked for accelerated vaccinations from Governor Cuomo as has Local 36 and RG&E, but at this point the State controls all of that and we have been unsuccessful in changing it. Fortunately, vaccine eligibility for everybody will be opening up by next week, so the tier system will not matter anymore. A new law was passed allowing for up to 4 hours of Company time to get each shot, so this should help with scheduling challenges if you have any.
We continue to work through this pandemic as we have all along, I know some of the requirements such as masking procedures are unpopular but they are designed to prevent a worsening of the situation in light of the even more contagious strains of the virus circulating around the country. As such, the IBEW has taken a very conservative stance on "reopening" and so we continue to suspend our monthly union meetings until we get a safer point in time.
Found in: