Pam,

Re-reading my first sentence, I think I worded it poorly...

It should have said, "It is the height of arrogance FOR the hospital to require..."    (I was agreeing with you, but my hastily constructed sentence was unclear.)

- Ron

Ron Calzone wrote:

Pam,

It is the height of arrogance to think that the hospital would require the vaccine but "inoculate" themselves of any responsibility for damage it does.

That said, arrogance is not against the law or unconstitutional.   I have been fighting against state mandated vaccines in Jefferson City for several years, so you know where I stand, but we do need to understand the distinction between a government mandate and "condition of employment".

A private business has the right to make about anything a condition of employment AND a prospective employee has the right to refuse to take the job.  Other than putting market pressure (people refusing to work there or give them bad publicity), I don't think you can "make" the hospital change their policy  - at least not with respect to newly hired people.
-
I do think, however, the rights of existing employees is a different story.   Those rights are based on contract law.  If this mandatory medical procedure was NOT a part of the original terms of employment (expressly or implicitly) then the hospital's NEW requirement of EXISTING employees could be considered a breach of contract.  As such, there are grounds for a civil suit.

I think a media campaign, as you suggest, is a good idea.  I think existing employees should ban together and hire a good lawyer - or threaten to.

I do not think, however, that we would want to pursue legislation that prevented a private company from placing conditions of employment.  After all, too much government involvement is the problem - not the solution.

Anyway, that's my dime's worth.   (in 2008 dollars)

- Ron

Pam Murphy,M.S.,RRT wrote:

Recently the BJC Health System enacted a mandatory flu vaccine as a
condition of employment. Employees who do get the shot sign a waiver
which totally absolves BJC of any responsibility if the employee is
injured by the vaccine. Yet many employees knowing the problems with
vaccines would not willingly get the flu shot if it were not a
condition of employment.

I am lucky I have a medical exemption which precludes me getting the
flu shot. But I'm worried about my co-workers and the community/society
at large. This is a flagrant violation of personal rights. It is
unconstitutional. It has dire implications for the rest of the
community and indeed of society if BJC is allowed to overstep its
bounds in this way.That BJC is supposing this trampling of employees
personal rights will protect their patients is ludicrous seeing as how
they aren't planning on making visitors wear masks and physicians with
temporary privileges are not mandated to have the flu shot. There is no
evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in
preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza. It even says that in
the vaccine package insert. However, there's a lot of evidence that the
vaccines are very detrimental.

If a corporation can demand its employees inject a toxic poison into
their body we are on a slippery slope to losing all the freedoms on
which this country was founded on. If a corporation can make such a
demand what kind of world will my nieces and nephews and your children
and grand-children have to live in? And how many more vaccines could
easily be required to be given to children?

Make no mistake about it this is a very serious situation. If we as a
community allow this perversion of authority I ask you what freedoms
are you willing to give up? Because big brother will be knocking on
everyones door next.

I hope that EVERY member of this group will write a letter to the
editor of the Post Dispatch letters@post-dispatch.com We need to
educate the community. The only winner in a mandatory vaccine policy is
the pharmaceutical industry.

Pam Murphy,M.S.,RRT

-- *************************************
Ron Calzone
Director, Missouri First, Inc.
mailto:ron@mofirst.org
Web URL http://www.mofirst.org
*************************************

-- *************************************
Ron Calzone
Director, Missouri First, Inc.
mailto:ron@...
Web URL http://www.mofirst.org
*************************************