Rulings stop mandatory vaccination for hospital employees

A hospital's mandatory flu vaccination program will end after rulings were made Monday in favor of two unions.

Tom Moore, spokesman for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said although the rulings applied only to union members, the flu shots would no longer be mandatory for any hospital worker.

“Everyone will be treated the same,” he said.

Seasonal flu shots were required this year for all faculty, staff, volunteers, vendors and contractors for the hospital, Carver College of Medicine and UI physicians.

Workers who didn't get a shot or obtain a medical or religious exemption could have lost their jobs.

An arbitrator Monday said the program violated the collective bargaining agreement between the hospital and Service Employees International Union Local 199, the union announced.

Also, Danny Homan, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61, said an arbitrator ruled in favor of AFSCME Local 12, which had filed a similar grievance.

About 2,377 SEIU employees, mostly nurses, work for UI Health Care. About 2,125 AFSCME members, such as custodians, clerical workers and others, are employed at the hospital.

Moore said hospital leaders were disappointed in the ruling because of the risk posed by the flu to patients.

About 84 percent of workers have been vaccinated, he said, about the same as this time last year.

Cathy Glasson, SEIU Local 199 president, said she was pleased by the ruling.

“It was pretty clear that the contract language was violated,” she said, noting the bargaining language had been in place for years. “We still have a strong feeling that people should be vaccinated.”

Vaccination is just one part of a strong infection control program that is the best way to prevent the spread of diseases, Glasson said.

A hospital's mandatory flu vaccination program will end after rulings were made Monday in favor of two unions.

Tom Moore, spokesman for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said although the rulings applied only to union members, the flu shots would no longer be mandatory for any hospital worker.

“Everyone will be treated the same,” he said.

Seasonal flu shots were required this year for all faculty, staff, volunteers, vendors and contractors for the hospital, Carver College of Medicine and UI physicians.

Workers who didn't get a shot or obtain a medical or religious exemption could have lost their jobs.

An arbitrator Monday said the program violated the collective bargaining agreement between the hospital and Service Employees International Union Local 199, the union announced.

Also, Danny Homan, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61, said an arbitrator ruled in favor of AFSCME Local 12, which had filed a similar grievance.

About 2,377 SEIU employees, mostly nurses, work for UI Health Care. About 2,125 AFSCME members, such as custodians, clerical workers and others, are employed at the hospital.

Moore said hospital leaders were disappointed in the ruling because of the risk posed by the flu to patients.

About 84 percent of workers have been vaccinated, he said, about the same as this time last year.

Cathy Glasson, SEIU Local 199 president, said she was pleased by the ruling.

“It was pretty clear that the contract language was violated,” she said, noting the bargaining language had been in place for years. “We still have a strong feeling that people should be vaccinated.”

Vaccination is just one part of a strong infection control program that is the best way to prevent the spread of diseases, Glasson said.