Unions that oppose vaccine mandates jeopardize public health and their own influence

Some union officials have suggested that mandates — even with those exemptions and accommodations — will backfire, and cause vaccine-resisters to resist more. If that’s the case, it suggests union officials must show more leadership on this issue, not less. Their job is to protect their workers from real threats, not the fever dreams of conspiracy theorists. That requires looking out for their most vulnerable members, including those who are immunocompromised, or who have at-risk children not yet eligible for vaccination, and who need to know that their workplaces are safe.