By Steve Neavling
A labor union that represents federal workers, including TSA employees, is urging the White House to postpone the COVID-19 vaccine deadline until Jan. 4.
The current deadline is Nov. 22.
The request by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) comes after the Biden administration delayed the Nov. 22 deadline for federal contractors to Jan. 4.
The AFGE said its members should not be held to a different deadline.
“This double standard has caused confusion and distress among federal employees due to disparate treatment and incongruent deadlines for people who perform the government’s work in the same settings,” Everett Kelley, AFGE’s president wrote Tuesday to Shalanda Young, acting director of the Office of Budget and Management, Kiran Ahuja, acting director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and Jeff Zients, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, CNBC reports.
“The effect upon morale of federal employees being subject to possible discipline at this time of year cannot be overstated,” Kelley wrote.
Employees who aren’t vaccinated face possible termination or suspension.
