Port Authority Union Seeks Preliminary Injunction Against COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The union representing 2,300 Port Authority employees wants a preliminary injunction against the authority's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The Post-Gazette reports the union filed a grievance with the Labor Relations Board. It says the Port Authority violated the state's Labor Relations Act by implementing the mandate without first bargaining with the union.
Last month the Port Authority told its 2,600 employees to show proof of vaccination by March 15 or face discipline.
The filing indicates 603 union employees are currently unvaccinated and if they were all fired, "there would be little, if any, public transit in Allegheny County," the Post-Gazette reports.
The vaccine requirement comes as seven unvaccinated employees have died from COVID-19 complications since the pandemic began. Four of those employees passed away before the vaccine was widely available. At the start of 2022, the Port Authority said the Omicron variant was causing driver shortages and delays.