NYC Strikes Mandate Deal With Unions As Worker Vax Rate Tops 92%

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's government workforce is 92 percent vaccinated against the coronavirus as four unions agreed to stop fighting a sweeping vaccine-or-no-pay mandate.

A deal announced Thursday between the city and unions representing 75,000 municipal workers outlines religious and medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine, officials said.

The agreement also gives unvaccinated employees on leave without pay the choice to voluntarily separate and keep their health insurance through June 30, 2022.

“Vaccinations are critical to our recovery and our city workforce is leading the way,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “(Ninety-two) percent of city employees have stepped up and gotten vaccinated, and this agreement ensures a fair process for those seeking exemptions."

The unions — DC 37, Teamsters Local 237, Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association Local 831 and SEIU Local 300 — also agreed to withdraw lawsuits challenging the city's right to set the strict vaccine mandate.

The city has largely prevailed in court cases that municipal worker unions filed to stall or scuttle the mandate.

About 19,300 city workers remain unvaccinated, according to mayor's office data. Some of them have continued to mount protests over the mandate, notably outside mayor-elect Eric Adams' office.

But vaccination rates among city departments have climbed dramatically since de Blasio announced the mandate.

The NYPD has gone from 70 percent vaccinated to 85 percent — and police officials claim there have been no major disruptions.

FDNY firefighters have still resisted — and experienced some shortfalls — but their vaccination rate went from 58 percent to 79 percent, according to the latest mayor's office data.