Press Release

BAC and ICE Encourage Members and Contractors to Access the COVID-19 Vaccination

[Washington, D.C.], March 31, 2021 - Today the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) and the International Council of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (ICE) issued the following joint statement encouraging everyone in the industry to access the COVID-19 Vaccination. 

The COVID-19 virus continues to be a serious problem across the United States and Canada, threatening both our health and our economy. In addition to following CDC and OSHA guidance to frequently wash hands, wear masks, and practice social distancing, access to safe and effective vaccines is the best way to keep BAC members, ICE Contractors and their staffs safe at work and in their communities, and to minimize the potential impact of the pandemic on work opportunities in the masonry industry.    

Scientific and medical evidence indicates that COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA and the Public Health Agency of Canada are safe and effective. According to the world-renowned MAYO Clinic, these vaccines:

  • Help prevent you from getting COVID-19 or from becoming seriously ill or dying due to COVID-19;
  • Help prevent spreading the COVID-19 virus to others;
  • Add to the number of people in the community who are protected from getting COVID-19 — making it harder for the disease to spread and contributing to herd immunity; and
  • Help prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading, replicating, and mutating into a more virulent strain of virus.

There is a good deal of false information about the COVID-19 vaccines out there, so be sure to check reliable sources like the CDC and the Public Health Agency of Canada to get the facts about these vaccines, which the overwhelming majority of health experts agree are safe and the best way to fight the spread of the virus. 

Although we recognize that some individuals may have personal beliefs or medical conditions that may prevent them getting these vaccines, we encourage BAC members, contractors and everyone involved in the masonry industry to consider getting vaccinated as soon as the vaccination becomes available to them. 

We urge BAC members, contractors and staff who have already been vaccinated to continue to follow public health agency guidance for safety, including frequently washing hands, wearing masks, and practicing social distancing. We owe it to each other and to our families. Additional resources as well as eligibility and status documents are available on the website of Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR).