Open Letter to NYC Mayor Eric Adams: Rehire NYC Workers Fired During COVID
Jamel Holley, Tramell Thompson and Sophy Medina call on Mayor Adams to reinstate and compensate fired unvaccinated NYC workers
Dear Mayor Eric Adams,
We firmly believe, with resolute certainty, that now is an opportune moment for you, as Mayor of the greatest city in the world, to address a critical challenge at this pivotal juncture for New York City.
We respectfully urge you to direct the city’s legal team to settle or withdraw, where appropriate, all legal actions opposing NYC educators, firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers, and medical professionals who lost their jobs for declining to get the COVID vaccine when it was mandated.
The absence of these dedicated professionals has noticeably impacted public safety, education, and healthcare, creating challenges for the community as a whole. However, this situation also presents an opportunity for leadership to heal, rebuild, and address inconsistencies that undermine fairness.
For example, one of us, Tramell Thompson, currently vice president of TWU Local 100 and a train conductor during the pandemic, has highlighted that MTA workers in NYC faced no vaccine mandate, while police officers working alongside them in the subway system were subject to one. Similarly, one of us, Sophy Medina, a retired FDNY firefighter, had her religious exemption request denied by the Fire Department. Only after a protracted battle, with significant intervention from City Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola’s office, was she granted a medical exemption.
How do these disparities reflect equal justice under the law for NYC workers?
We encourage you to develop a thoughtful plan to provide fair compensation for lost wages through a structured agreement, ideally in time for the upcoming school year, particularly for educators to help fill significant gaps in critical services. Recent reports indicate that NYC is hiring up to 9,000 new teachers for the upcoming school year, underscoring the urgent need for trained professionals.
Additionally, we humbly request that the Trump Administration consider acting as a supportive partner, where legally appropriate, to facilitate the reinstatement of these invaluable workers.
These dedicated public servants deserve prompt and fair treatment. We also sincerely encourage the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA), Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Teamsters Local 831, and medical professional unions to stand firmly in support of displaced workers who deserve to return to their roles.
New York City stands at a defining moment, with a unique opportunity to build on your strengths as Mayor. We respectfully urge you to embrace this moment, lead with empathy, restore fairness, and guide the city toward meaningful solutions.
Finally, we call on all involved to act swiftly and collaboratively to pursue outcomes that serve the best interests of all New Yorkers.
Sincerely,
Jamel Holley, NJ Assemblyman Emeritus, Former Mayor Borough of Roselle
Tramell Thompson, NYC Transit & Labor Leader, Founder of Progressive Action
Sophy Medina, Retired NYC Firefighter, Cofounder of Bravest for Choice
(On behalf of thousands of fired and displaced workers who deserve the right to make a living in the greatest city in the world)
These tried and true workers are the kind that all New Yorkers want to have show up in an emergency. The Mayor has bungled this issue of bringing back the workers badly. His only hope to salvage his career is to do the right thing and reinstate ASAP with compensation. There is no time left to waste--if the first day of school comes and goes without bringing back City workers his career will be over, as will the careers of several others who sat on the fence or ignored the unethical vax mandate firings.
Impeccable letter. I hope Mayor Adams does the right thing. If not, may he be voted out of office.