A day after New York City Mayor Eric Adams doubled down on his controversial decision to lift the city's vaccine mandate for professional athletes and performers, but not city workers, FDNY unions demanded a meeting to discuss the contradiction in policy.
The heads of two firefighter unions delivered a request of the mayor Saturday to sit down within a week's time to discuss the city's vaccine mandate. Presidents of the Firefighters Association and FDNY-Fire Officers Association placed an "emergency" call hoping Adams would reconsider his new order and expand the mandate lift to all city employees.
Currently, somewhere between 400 and 500 firefighters remain unvaccinated and are at risk of losing their jobs with the city, Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro estimated. Each week, anywhere from 5 to 10 firefighters receive an ultimatum to get a COVID-19 vaccine or step down, he said.
