Oscar Winner Flames Actors Unions Over ‘Discriminatory’ COVID Vaccine Policies

Academy Award winning actor Tim Robbins laid into two major actors unions on Tuesday, calling on them to put an end to their “discriminatory” COVID vaccine policies.

Robbins called out both SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and Actors Equity, and said that it was “way past time” for the unions to abandon vaccine mandates, citing the New York Supreme Court ruling that reinstated New York City workers whose jobs had been terminated when they did not comply with the city’s vaccine requirements.

“Hey @sagaftra and @actorsequity : Way past time to end your discriminatory politics. NY Supreme Court just ruled that all unvaccinated NYC employees are ‘reinstated to their full employment’ and are ‘entitled to back pay in salary from the date of termination.’”

“Being vaccinated does not prevent an individual from contracting or transmitting Covid-19. As of the day of this Decision, CDC guidelines regarding quarantine and isolation are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.”
-Hon. Ralph J. Porziohttps://t.co/oRyAaTzEAt…

— Tim Robbins (@TimRobbins1) October 25, 2022

Robbins continued with a quote from Staten Island Judge Ralph J. Porzio, who said in his ruling, “Being vaccinated does not prevent an individual from contracting or transmitting COVID-19. As of the day of this Decision, CDC guidelines regarding quarantine and isolation are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.”

Porzio’s decision came in part because New York City had made exceptions to the vaccine policy for athletes and performers — he said that the city’s insistence on keeping the mandate in place for sanitation workers was “arbitrary and capricious,” adding that if the mandate was truly about health and safety, there would be no exemptions.

The city has already announced plans to appeal the decision, according to a spokesman from the legal department. “The city strongly disagrees with this ruling as the mandate is firmly grounded in law and is critical to New Yorkers’ public health. We have already filed an appeal. In the meantime, the mandate remains in place as this ruling pertains solely to the individual petitioners in this case. We continue to review the court’s decision, which conflicts with numerous other rulings already upholding the mandate.”

Actor and comedian Rob Schneider voiced his agreement with the “Shawshank Redemption” star, saying that he had already tried to push the union in that direction.

“Dear @TimRobbins1, As an Elected SAG National Board member, I agree with you and I have been trying to make the case but it really is a religion with these zealots at this point since it is beyond their ability to reason.”

Dear @TimRobbins1
As an Elected SAG National Board member, I agree with you and I have been trying to make this case but it really is a religion with these zealots at this point since it is beyond their ability to reason. https://t.co/jbkECnCCsh

— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) October 25, 2022

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