York Region dropping COVID vaccination mandate, rehiring workers

Union, region reach settlement over grievances on employees fired for not getting vaccinated

Newmarkettoday.ca
Jan. 6, 2023
Joseph Quigley

York Region has agreed to end its COVID-19 vaccination mandate and rehire many unionized employees in a settlement with one of its unions.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 905 said the two sides had reached an agreement in December over the policy on non-long-term care home employees. The union filed a grievance over the policy, which required region employees to get at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

York Region fired approximately 64 employees for failing to comply with the policy at the end of 2021.

It is a positive step, CUPE Local 905 president Katherine Grzejszczak said.

“After years of folks feeling like they’re in limbo, I think it’s good to have some sort of closure for some of the workers that we represent,” she said.

The policy will come to an end on March 1, Grezjszczak said. She added that the change is in line with what has happened with other municipalities, with the City of Toronto and others ending vaccination mandates and returning employees at the end of 2021.

"It's completely in line with the arbitrator awards or the settlements we've been receiving in other municipalities in Ontario," she said.

The region confirmed a settlement was reached, though did not directly address the end of the policy as of publication time.

"The region remains committed to providing a safe workplace and responding to the changing needs and circumstances in response to COVID-19," director of corporate communications Patrick Casey said.

The union has filed many grievances over the region’s vaccination mandates. This particular settlement is separate from other grievances regarding long-term care employees, which the region has won arbitration cases on in 2021.

Although most employees will be welcomed back, Grezjszczak said the settlement does not cover everyone fired, and individual employee grievances will still need to be addressed. Issues include religious and creed exemptions, as well as some employees getting fired while on sick leave.

While the union has opposed the mandate, the region has defended it over the past year as necessary to protect employee health.

“York Region continues to take every possible step to protect our employees and residents, including through our mandatory vaccination policy, and strongly recommending all staff obtain booster vaccines as they become available,” Casey said of the policy last year.

This settlement only covers the region's unionized employees, with those in long-term care excluded. This also excludes York Regional Police, to which the mandatory vaccination policy did not apply.

The Town of Newmarket implemented a similar mandatory vaccination policy and fired three employees for noncompliance. The grievances and settlement between CUPE and the region would not apply to the town. The town said it would be reviewing its vaccination policy this year, along with its neighbouring municipalities.