Dozens of Port Authority employees gathered in downtown Pittsburgh on Friday (March 18) to protest against the service’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
Workers who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or did not have proof they were vaccinated were told not to come into work this week. They went from being called heroes—while they were working during the peak of the pandemic—to being treated like zeroes as many now face unemployment for not being vaccinated.
Port Authority’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate went into effect earlier this week and around 500 employees decided not to get the vaccine. The union and Port Authority’s inability to come to an agreement has forced delays in service times to buses and the light rail.
Those workers have been outside today chanting such things as “my body, my choice” and “stop the mandate.”
The workers say they aren’t against the vaccine, but against being forced to take it when their riders don’t have to.