Guards union warns Wolf of legal action over vaccine mandate
By MARK SCOLFORO and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The union that represents about 10,000 guards in Pennsylvania’s state prisons is telling Gov. Tom Wolf it plans legal action to stop his effort to force them to get COVID-19 vaccines over the next month. The president of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association sent a letter to the Democratic governor Thursday. It comes two days after Wolf ordered the guards and some other state workers to get fully vaccinated by Sept. 7 or face weekly testing. Union president John Eckenrode is telling Wolf his policy announcement is “a slap in the face.” Wolf press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger says the union’s opposition to the initiative “is extremely disappointing.”