Negotiations underway over COVID-19 vaccine requirement for Orange County union employees

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Union negotiations are underway in Orange County when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is requiring employees to get vaccinated, but the county has to bargain with the unions over the issue.

READ: COVID-19 outbreaks reported at 40 Orange County long-term care facilities

The fraternal order of police and the county went to table after the requirement went into place.

The FOP said they offered to test corrections officers who did not want to be vaccinated once or twice a week and said that those officers would also wear masks. But so far, the county has not accepted that deal.

READ: Coronavirus: CDC committee recommends additional vaccine dose for immunocompromised people

Instead it seems the county is set to tell corrections officer to get vaccinated or face consequences up to termination.

Numbers from the county show 38 corrections officers and 42 inmates currently have COVID-19, and two COs have died.

Demings would not give us details about the negotiations or the county’s strong stance, only saying the negotiations were underway.

READ: Coronavirus: EU looking into new possible side-effects of mRNA COVID-19 shots

“It’s still early In the process but negotiations are going well with the unions because for the most part the represent out first responders and these are the men and women on the front lines,” Demings said. “…I believe they understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.”

Demings said there is no deadline to reach an agreement. But the rest of the county’s non-union employees have until Sept. 30 to get the vaccine or face consequences.

READ: Coronavirus: What does it mean to be immunocompromised?

The county will still allow for medical or religious exemptions.

The two sides are set to go back to the table on Tuesday.

1 of 11