As vaccine mandates sweep across the country, a group of Massachusetts State Troopers have decided that enough is enough.
A Massachusetts police union announced that dozens of state troopers plan to resign over the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to Fox News.
“To date, dozens of troopers have already submitted their resignation paperwork, some of whom plan to return to other departments offering reasonable alternatives such as mask wearing and regular testing,” stated Michael Cherven, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts.
The mandate, signed into law by Republican Governor Charlie Baker through executive order, requires all state workers to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 17.
Unlike other mandates, the Massachusetts vaccine mandate has not yet allowed exemptions for medical or religious reasons.
Chervin continued, “This doesn’t come down to feelings for the mandate for us. This is about fair labor practices and making sure our members that have been on the force on the front lines can remain on the front lines and years of experience doesn’t walk out the door”.
This mandate dealt an additional blow to the already dwindling numbers in the Massachusetts State Police force which has recently been suffering from “neglect” and departures, according to Cherven.
Public outcry
Many conservative Americans believe that vaccine mandates are a massive abuse of government power.
Thousands of people filled the streets in protest of this vaccine mandate, which also spreads to other workers such as nurses and hospital employees.
“How this is not a form of modern-day apartheid, except this time they are discriminating and persecuting us, not based on the color of our skin, but based on our vaccination status,” stated Jeff Kuhner, a popular radio host, and keynote speaker at the Sunday rally.
Similar mandates are happening in New York, where 70,000 front-line nurses are slated to lose their jobs.
If states continue to approve these mandates, staff shortages in hospitals and police forces are likely. Meanwhile, state workers look to their unions in hope of some form of representation.
