Contact: Stuart Marques, 917-273-6194

“We all expected and hoped against hope to see a healthier new year. But, the Omicron variant, raging across the world, has quashed that vision for now. The reality is that we are once again in severe crisis. Our top priority remains the health and safety of healthcare heroes, their patients and all of their families. That includes ensuring that everyone has the maximum protection against the virus and its potentially devastating effects, and we have long supported vaccinations and boosters according to established science,” 1199SEIU President George Gresham said.

“It also includes making sure that workers have full access to personal protective equipment and are allowed to remain on paid leave while they are recovering from infection. And it means addressing the staffing crisis, to allow healthcare workers to care for their patients without risking physical and mental exhaustion and burnout.

We look forward to collaborating with the Governor on a range of initiatives, including implementing any booster requirement in a way that respects and protects all healthcare workers and the people who rely on them to keep them safe.”

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George Gresham is the president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America, representing over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.