WASHINGTON, D.C. —  In a strong new commitment to protecting essential workers who have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Executive Board of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) passed a resolution Friday in support of universal vaccination, calling vaccine mandates “an important and powerful tool” that must be coupled with a “mandate for corporations and governments to do everything in their power to protect all workers.” 

Approximately 81% of the union’s 2 million members are vaccinated, outpacing national averages — a result of SEIU’s leadership in boosting equitable vaccine distribution and demanding negotiations with private and public employers to win greater access, paid time off and pandemic pay. The union will continue its efforts to increase vaccination rates through member education forums, community phone-banking and door-knocking programs and vaccine pop-up clinics.

“SEIU members are committed to leading the fight for the health and safety of all working people. We are united in the belief that vaccines are the most effective way to protect workers, our families and our communities and that to achieve universal vaccination, employers and government must recognize workers’ leadership in fighting the pandemic,” said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. “That’s why we are bargaining with employers from coast to coast for solutions that increase vaccination rates while guaranteeing critical protections like adequate paid time off, protective equipment and pandemic pay, among others. Workers must have a seat at the table to ensure successful vaccine implementation and future safety measures.”

SEIU’s resolution called out the hypocrisy of corporations and certain elected leaders who failed to support workers as COVID-19 swept the country. 

The resolution states: “As we move toward universal vaccination, we are committed as a union to holding accountable the corporations and politicians that have failed before and during the pandemic to respect, protect and pay all workers so that our communities and our democracy can thrive. We will work to defeat extremist politicians at every level who continue to deny critical protections for essential workers, prevent basic public health interventions such as masking, and promote deadly misinformation. This moment in the fight against the pandemic cannot only require vaccine mandates for essential workers—it must also require a mandate for corporations and governments to do everything in their power to protect all workers.”

SEIU Locals GOTV: ‘Get Out the Vaccine’ 
As trusted messengers with deep roots in their communities, SEIU’s local unions have been working to expand Covid-19 vaccine education and access since December 2020.

• Securing vaccines early: SEIU advocated at the county and state level to ensure that members risking their lives to go to work and provide vital services every day were included in essential worker priority phases. These efforts ensured the inclusion of home care workers in Washington, California and Massachusetts and janitors, security officers and airport workers in New York and California in the early phases of vaccination.
• Increasing vaccine appointment flexibility: SEIU worked with cities, states and employers to organize dozens of pop-up clinics where workers and their families could easily get vaccinated, including near union halls. These partnerships increased where and when vaccines were offered — in line with shift work and in central locations easily accessible by public transportation — and resulted in thousands of vaccination appointments.
• Raising awareness: SEIU led and developed hundreds of member education forums and community phone-banking and door-knocking programs to provide information on vaccines in a culturally competent manner. In partnership with local elected officials and members of the medical and scientific community, these educational efforts were held across the country in as many as nine languages and led to tens of thousands of Covid-19 vaccine appointments within SEIU membership and the broader community. At SEIU 1199, a combination of educational meetings and content — digital static advertisements and videos, a weekly digital newsletter and numerous mail pieces delivered straight to members’ homes and workplaces — led to a precipitous decline in the percentage of members unwilling to take the vaccine, from 52% in December 2020 to 10% in March 2021, just three months after the comprehensive campaign began.
• Sharing peer stories: SEIU effectively used targeted digital media to amplify member stories as to why they chose to be vaccinated and what their experiences with the process have been. These stories personalized the experience and both educated and influenced members who were “waiting to see” more about the vaccines before they committed to taking them.
• Negotiating with employers: SEIU led conversations with employers at the bargaining table to ensure that mandates were fair and coupled with other protections, such as the mandate agreements reached by SEIU Local 221 in partnership with Encinitas, Calif. city officials and SEIU Local 503 with Oregon state officials.

“The first line of defense starts at home. It’s really important to keep our families safe and protected, the same way we keep our residents safe and healthy. At times during this pandemic, I couldn’t even sleep comfortably knowing that I was putting loved ones at risk,” said Sonya Glass, a nursing home worker from Detroit, Mich. “That is why I was inspired to get vaccinated. I was one of the first 10 people at my facility to sign up for the vaccination program. And after I got my shot, I started encouraging other coworkers to get vaccinated. My passion for organizing around this work has led to a total of 260 of my coworkers getting vaccinated — including managers and staff.” 

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About Service Employees International Union:
The Service Employees International Union is the nation’s second-largest labor union and the largest union of healthcare workers. SEIU is an organization of nearly 2 million members united by their belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society.

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