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* Sun-Times…
Though COVID-19 vaccines have been made available to all employees at Illinois veterans’ homes, only 40% of staff members have so far opted to receive their first dose of the inoculation against the deadly virus. […]
Bridget Dooley, the public information officer for the department, said they’re currently “pulling out all the stops” to encourage staff members to take the vaccine.
* “That’s not true,” said AFSCME Council 31 spokesman Anders Lindall today about Dooley’s claims. Lindall went on to say that he’d received a call from the Sun-Times editorial board with the news that the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is claiming the union contract is the problem. He called that “a complete lie.”
“It is starting to seem that the top leadership of this agency screwed up, did not plan, did not communicate and is now trying to shift the blame and is even willing to cast aspersions on employees and misinform the public,” Lindall said.
* I talked with Lindall yesterday and then again today. He claims that veterans’ home employees were given short notice and brief windows to obtain the vaccine and, contrary to claims by the agency, said that the vaccine supply was limited. All that, he claimed, were behind the low vaccination rate at the homes.
As an example, Lindall said the union was informed on Christmas Eve that the vaccine would be offered at one home within the next 24 hours. “That’s just not adequate,” he said. “So you’ve got no notice, you’ve got a window of maybe six hours during one shift at a 24-seven facility where there are three shifts,” Lindall added.
Lindall claimed that the local president at the Quincy veterans’ home “was unable to get the shot because the amount of vaccine that they had that day was exhausted.”
“We were told yesterday that there will be at least two additional opportunities offered at each facility,” to get the vaccine. But, he said, “dates and times are to be determined.”
“No state agency has asked about mandating a vaccine,” Lindall claimed. “The guidance from both the Federal CDC and from IDPH to employers is that vaccines should be optional. And we know of no employer who requires the vaccine. We think everyone should get the vaccine. That is how people are going to protect themselves, their families, those they work with. And we’re going to end this pandemic. But the way to do it is by educating, answering people’s questions, making it accessible.”
“I have not been in the meetings,” Lindall said, “but my understanding from our folks who have was that the folks that we’re dealing with, whether it’s labor relations, that they understand that the planning and the communication on their part were poor, and that we need to be made full partners, and brought into this, and that everything needs to be done with a lot more forethought.”
Lindall also said that, unlike the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Human Services has been partnering with AFSCME. DHS, he said, has been “working with us for weeks to prepare for this, putting out information. That’s the type of relationship we’d like to have with every agency and with all of our employers.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:29 pm
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Lindall is a talker, and talk he does. Here’s the bottom line. If you are a worker at an Illinois Veterans Home, or any Illinois Long-Term Care facility for that matter, and you are offered an approved vaccine, if you refuse to take it, you should be fired. Period.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:35 pm
What a ridiculous word salad. Every sentient being knew the vaccine was coming and would soon be there. So what if they only had 24 hours notice. That doesn’t explain why the pickup rate at some homes was 18%. And doesn’t AFSCME have a responsibility to educate its own members? Seriously, if you’re going to point fingers because your members made bad decisions, maybe you should look in the mirror first.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:38 pm
Put up or shut up, Lindall. Show us the high vaccination rates among your members quickly.
This is’t the time for your traditional “us vs. them” approach.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:40 pm
Lindall has nothing to say about AFSCME members refusing vaccines? He totally dodged the question. Is IDVA trying to force them to take the vaccine? The article doesn’t say that.
Comment by Right Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:40 pm
Does the AFSCME contract allow for or address mandatory vaccinations of members? I assume since JB is operating with emergency powers he could invalidate the contract as he saw fit? Line by line?
Comment by essentially working Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:42 pm
PublicServant
Do you know that approx 40% of doctors and nurses volunteered at many private hospitals and nursing homes. So should the other 60% be fired?
Comment by The Dude Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:42 pm
As is usual, there is usually more to a story than it first appears.
Comment by Pelonski Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:46 pm
===he could invalidate the contract as he saw fit===
Doubtful. The court rulings under Rauner were just brutal for the administration.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:48 pm
Fix the communication and answer questions — all fine things for the union to ask for. But how much input do the union and employees need to provide to get HEALTHCARE workers vaccinated? Time is of the essence. Everything does not have to be a management-labor issue. Jeez.
Comment by northside reformer Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:49 pm
Dear AFSCME, I have a friend who has worked for the state since last March and has requested to join the union more than once at least. Why in the world would I trust you to do anything when you won’t let people give you money that the government says you’re not even entitled to???
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:56 pm
== Lindall has nothing to say about AFSCME members refusing vaccines?==
Maybe because there’s been no reporting or evidence that this is happening.
Comment by Quibbler Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:58 pm
What a tone-deaf response. I wish I could get the vaccine for myself or my co-workers. Even with only 24 hours’ notice.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 12:59 pm
Just tell me when and where I’m there. For the group that continues to tour how hard they work and advocate for the care of seniors, to say they don’t know what the vaccine does or have questions about it is ridiculous. You’re in the healthcare field. Terrible answer. Wonder what the over under is on afscme members and retirees who voted for the Fair Tax.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:06 pm
I just noticed this little detail as well.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:18 pm
=== Here’s the bottom line. If you are a worker at an Illinois Veterans Home, or any Illinois Long-Term Care facility for that matter, and you are offered an approved vaccine, if you refuse to take it, you should be fired. Period.===
Here’s the bottom line. If a vaccine is optional you can’t fire someone for not taking it. Period.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:24 pm
The state can’t even mandate smoke breaks or furloughs for union employees, why would anyone think they could mandate vaccines.
Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:34 pm
===pulling out all the stops===
Sure sounds like it *rolls eyes*. Talk about an agency under siege. Why is the Gov being so silent on this?
Comment by Not a DJT Apologist Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:37 pm
Anybody gives me six hours to get the vaccine I’ll be crying tears of joy, not carping about notice.
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:45 pm
Broadly speaking, it’s been getting harder and harder for me to defend unions. Many of the Trades rank and file membership voted for Rauner and Trump.
Comment by Nixon's beer Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:46 pm
=== PublicServant
Do you know that approx 40% of doctors and nurses volunteered at many private hospitals and nursing homes. So should the other 60% be fired? ===
Anyone employed at any long term care facility who refuses to get the covid vaccine should be fired immediately. I don’t think I can be more clear, Dude.
I suppose you can’t fire volunteers who refuse to get vaccinated, but if my loved one died, I’d certainly sue them. I’d also propose a law that makes it a felony to work/volunteer at a long term care facility without the full set of vaccinations, the covid vaccine foremost among them.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:48 pm
Hard to get through all the talking Lindall is doing but is it hard to believe that IDVA screwed up the rollout and didn’t make it easy?
Given that its a union - wouldn’t you think that workers would just take the jab during work hours? Otherwise I’m sure your going to have to pay them to come and get it on their day off.
The vaccine rollout has again been a shameful example of just how inept government and humans can be during a time of real crisis.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 1:48 pm
I’ll elaborate on my self proposed razor as this may not have been clear. A union contract, whether in the public sector or in the private sector, is by it’s very virtue an extension of the organization’s written policies and creates a process for addressing disagreements within those policies, as well as a process for adopting and changing policies.
If “the union” or “the contract” is why a manager is saying they were unable to accomplish what they wanted to accomplish, odds are they were either asking to do something illegal, or asking to do something so far out of scope of the organization’s rules and policies they were unable to make the change, or completely failed to actually present a reasonable case for why that change should be made.
As I said yesterday, CMS had months to put an agreement in place. IDVA had months to plan a schedule and make arrangements for how they would implement administrating the vaccine and we have seen no evidence of either of those agencies making those efforts.
The rates of patients vs. staff suggests that they just showed up in the middle of the day and who was available was who was available.
Blaming the line workers at IDVA is like blaming the person who answers the 800 number at Comcast for the fact Comcast has data caps. Now I feel a little bad about jumping on the bandwagon and pointing the finger at line workers.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 2:33 pm
Plenty of blame to go around on this one. Union stuck with membership scared to take the vax. Limited vax supply. Dooley new to the job trying to protect her bosses current and future political career. Sadly, Dooley is going to fail…not enough real crisis management experience…she’s really a mediocre fundraiser for second tier candidates. Nice gal just way over her skis.
Comment by Southsider Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 2:34 pm
It’s not any union’s job to manage employees, it’s management’s job. Should the union do payroll too? C’ mon.
Comment by Fly like an eagle Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 3:00 pm
Every once in a while, AFSCME can’t just be its own team. On vaccines, we’re all on the same team–and it’s not some big class struggle between workers and management. Vaccines should be required for all and the union should do its part because it’s the right thing to do.
Comment by northside reformer Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 3:16 pm
“.. would just take the jab during work hours?” What about side effects?
“Union stuck with membership scared to take the vax.” Objection, arguing facts not in evidence.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 3:26 pm
===Vaccines should be required for all===
If you didn’t read the word salad, you might have missed this detail:
It would seem that the State did not propose a vaccine mandate, or attempt to propose one.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 3:37 pm
===“Union stuck with membership scared to take the vax.” Objection, arguing facts not in evidence.===
Overruled. This is not a courtroom.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 3:41 pm
Personally, I think all employers, both public and private sector, should require the covid vaccine when it is available before allowing employees to return to the workplace.
Right now, the vaccine is optional for all people. Even some employees at hospitals are not getting it when available. I think they should. How many of you would complain if your employer or the government forced vaccinations on you? If mask wearing was such a controversial issue, I think vaccine requirements would be much more so.
Finally, I’ve read the AFSCME Master Contract cover to cover, and I don’t think there is any language preventing IDVA from vaccinating employees. In that I agree with Lindall. The IDVA spokesperson is making a false statement.
Comment by Steve Polite Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 4:11 pm
All agency heads should have educated their members about the safety of the vaccine.
Comment by Mana Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 5:42 pm
Anyone who works in a Hospital, VA home, a Nursing Home, Prison or Mental Health Facility should be mandated to take the vaccine, and the facility should pay for it.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 5:45 pm
The fact of the matter is that while IDVA insinuate that staff opted out of the vaccinations, when the truth is that throughout the state, IDVA didn’t give notice to employees of the dates at times that the vaccine would be given. The Homes have multiple shifts, but vaccines were only offered to day shift employees, without notice, with one Home stopping the vaccination three hours after it was initiated, even before the next shifts began. The vaccinations are not currently being offered to any employee. IF you didn’t work first shift, and didn’t get your vaccination within that three hour period, then you didn’t get a vaccination, and that is why the participation percentage was as low as it was.
Comment by Franz Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 5:53 pm
==Dear AFSCME, I have a friend who has worked for the state since last March and has requested to join the union more than once at least.==
Even while still having to pay fair share, don’t new employees have to wait until their 6-month probationary period is over (if they’re full time, more than 6 months if intermittent/part time) before they can request to become a full due-paying union member? That’s from what I understand, goes on in Secretary of State’s unions (SEIU, IFT, etc.–AFSCME covers nobody at SOS).
And with the shutdown during the stay-at-home order (and longer past June 1 for many AFSCME employees under CMS–that date was when all SOS returned), the 6-month probabationary I would think likely gets extended longer and will have to cover “6 months of actual work” (presumably in office rather than remote).
Of course, I could be wrong.
Comment by Essential State Employee Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 6:01 pm
Sounds like more IDVA blame shifting on this one. Surprised we haven’t heard from the Governor - then again he has been very silent on all of this.
Comment by Not a DJT Apologist Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 6:36 pm
“Anybody gives me six hours to get the vaccine I’ll be crying tears of joy, not carping about notice.”
What time was the notice given? How many shots were available? Were there enough doses for all of the residents and staff?
When was the announcement? During the day shift? Was the announcement relayed to the PM and night shifts? If so, when and how was the information passed on?
40 years ago,(god I’m getting old) in an earlier employment opportunity, I was a hospital night admitting clerk, working 11pm to 7:30am. Between my commute and “night time activities”, I tried to be in bed by 10am. I’d get up around 6pm and leave for work about 10pm. A brutal work-life existence, half awake/half asleep, never all there.
My point it that it is entirely possible that someone missed the announcement and/or arrived after the doses ran out.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 7:20 pm
More than a little surreal to watch Dooley and Lindall face off. Dooley comes from AFSCME - she was an organizer.
Comment by Bruiser Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 8:09 pm
The Trump administration drummed up big expectations for immunizations for december and fell on its face again.
We were promised 20 million would be vaccinated in December and instead it was 4.8 million .
Health workers are humans they can’t just stand there 48 hours straight to give folks shots and its not practical to have three separate shifts of staff doing the vaccinating.
Also and i can’t say this strongly enough, you cant leave vaccine with health progiders to vaccinate themselves jnfortunately.
A nursing home made news today for vaccinating wealthy donors instead of patients and staff.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jan 5, 21 @ 8:18 pm