A mailing is going out this week and it includes various coupons. The same information is already posted on this website as the the November News From OSA.

First, there is a coupon for you to fill out if you wish to take the analyst exam preparation course. It is crucial that we get the coupons back quickly, because scheduling will be tight with thousands of applicants applying all at once. Training starts on December 21, 2009, but first come first served as far as class assignment.

Second, there is a coupon for this year’s holiday party and please note the party is a week before the formal training begins.

Finally, we re glad to note that the State Health Department backed down on forcing health workers to get the H1N1 flu vaccine or be fired. Health workers are still free to get the vaccine and most will choose to do so, but the compulsion is now lifted.

A supreme court judge has put on hold the mandatory swine flu shots. As mentioned on this newsline two weeks ago, the state commissioner of health had ordered that all New York State employees in the health field had to take the vaccine. That order included virtually all of our Health and Hospitals Corporation members.

HHC backed the order to the hilt, exempting only the central office staff at 125 Worth Street. The City Office of Labor Relations chimed in by threatening to fire, without trial, any HHC workers who did not comply.

The unions, noting that the forty-nine other states did not believe in mandatory vaccinations, took the matter to court. The matter is now stayed, pending court argument and decision.

In other news, Bill Thompson did very well in the recent mayoral election debate last week.

Finally, OSA Executive Director Sheila Gorsky is working closely with the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in securing adequate space for the analyst exam preparation courses set for this winter.

We are grateful to the UFT for offering to help, since the number of students expected is twice as large as we have ever handled before. A mailing is due out this week giving more details and the same content will be upon this website shortly as the November News From OSA.

The fundraiser for Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson on Wednesday night drew municipal labor leaders, staffers and members to the Firefighters headquarters on 23rd Street, as seen in these photos taken by OSA's Rob Spencer.

Left: OSA Chair Bob Croghan, OSA Vice-Chair Tom Anderson, OSART Vice-Chair Al Milton, grievance staffers Alicia Hamill and John Mazzarella with Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.

Right: Municipal labor leaders Lillian Roberts, xecutive director of AFSCME DC37, Steve Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, and Bob Croghan, chair of the Organization of Staff Analysts with Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.

Second Rowf: OSA, DC37 and UFA members and staff at the fundraiser. OSA staffers Nancy Russell and Steven Gewirtz are to the left of Comptroller Thompson.

Happy Columbus Day. As most members are already aware, there is both a staff analyst and an associate staff analyst exam set for February of 2010. Filing for the exams will be open this December.

A mailing will be going out soon giving more information and providing members with the chance to register for the OSA training course for the exams.

Other news. Candidate for mayor, Bill Thompson will be on 23rd Street Wednesday evening. Bill is attending a fundraiser at the headquarters of the firefighters union, on the street level on 23rd Street between Second and Third Avenues after work .

Not only will Bill Thompson be there, so will many of OSA’s PAC members and the OSA leadership as well.

Alone of all the states in the union, New York has now mandated, by law, a requirement that health care workers must submit to the vaccination against the swine flu.

Moreover, the HHC is arguing that everybody who works in the hospital is included and the City’s Office of Labor Relations has talked of terminating anyone who refuses.

There were meetings on this last week, day after day.

A letter sent out by the health commissioner to all health care workers added fuel to the fire by being arrogant and patronizing.

There are religious and personal reasons why some workers will reject vaccination, and many health care professionals argue that the state health commissioner is wrong in his approach and conclusions.

This is an interesting and ongoing story. Everyone wants the vaccine to be available for voluntary usage, but many are furious that even workers with little or no patient contact are being ordered to take the shot against their will. More as it develops.