For Immediate Release
Friday, January 24, 2003
AFSCME Urges Administration to Take Necessary Vaccination Precautions to Save Lives
Secretary Thompson Joins In the Fight for Healthcare Workers
WASHINGTON —The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) today said that the administration still has not addressed most of the concerns surrounding the implementation of the Smallpox vaccination program. The call for more safety measures took on an increased urgency, as vaccinations were scheduled to begin today.
"We are encouraged to see Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson begin working on a plan to establish a compensation fund for those who will suffer serious and lifetime injuries from the vaccination or exposure to the vaccinia virus, but our members have not heard his concerns echoed by the White House. We are happy to finally count Secretary Thompson as partner in the fight to protect health care workers nationwide, and we hope he understands that vaccinations should be delayed until the plan is concrete and a host of other issues are addressed," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee.
"Before the Administration asks our members to put their health and the health of their families and patients on the line, they must implement and fund the necessary screening precautions. If the Administration does the right thing and address these issues now, fewer health care workers will suffer serious or lethal side effects," McEntee continued.
AFSCME has also raised concerns that the program fails to implement the use of safety-designed needles to protect those administering the smallpox vaccine and provides no safeguards to prevent employers from improperly coercing employees to receive the vaccine.
AFSCME, the nation's largest public service employees and healthcare union has more than 1.3 million members.
