Mayor Calls on Gov. Hochul to Issue Vaccine Mandate for MTA Workers

By Yehudit Garmaise

 Mayor Bill de Blasio called on Gov. Hochul today to put a vaccine mandate in place for the workers of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

“We know that mandates work, and we have got to double down,” the mayor said. “There was noise, there was controversy, but in the end, [the mandates] were the right thing to do, they kept New Yorkers safe and kept the whole city safe.

“Here is the proof: Overall, 94% of the city’s workers are now vaccinated.”

In particular, the NYPD, is now 87% vaccinated: a rate that came up 17% since the mayor’s Oct. 20 vaccine mandate announcement, he reported.

The number of FDNY/EMS workers who have not gotten their shots is 93% vaccinated, which is a number that has gone up 32% since the mayor’s announcement. The number of vaccinated firefighters is 89%, which has gone up 31%.

Sanitation is now 88% vaccinated: up 25% since the announcement.

“These are really amazing numbers,” said the mayor, who added that the uniformed members of the Department of Corrections also has seen a surge in vaccinations to 67%

“[The mandates] worked with the New York City workforce, and they can work with the MTA as well,” the mayor said. ”Everyone should be required to be vaccinated, and that helps to move us forward and out of the COVID era.”

In addition to calling on Gov. Hochul to issue a vaccine mandate to the MTA, Mayor de Blasio called on all the leaders across the country to issue vaccine mandates, as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) just did for all of its airport workers in advance of increased winter holiday travel.

“The private sector and the public sector need to lean into vaccine mandates,” the mayor said.

“We have been seen an inspiration all around the country to show that mandates that work.

“The city of New York has led the way and shown what’s possible.”

Photo: Marc Hermann / MTA