Officials with the UI Hospitals and Clinics reached an agreement with a local union over mandatory flu shots Tuesday.

Representatives of the Service Employees International Union Local 199 filed an injunction Sept. 8 to try to stop the hospitals plan to mandate flu shots for all faculty, staff, students, and volunteers.

While the hospital will still offer flu shots, people will be able to decline because of religious, health, or personal reasons.

Cathy Glasson, a registered nurse and president of the union, said the union still encouraged all members to be vaccinated.

The union filed the injunction because union representatives believed the policy violated their contract with the hospital. The injunction was also an effort to focus more attention on infection control, rather than only vaccinations, Glasson said.

This will slow the process down, she said, allowing union and hospital officials to discuss the plan.

The objection will now go through the normal grievance process and will likely be heard by an administrative judge in October.

Glasson said the dispute should be resolved by early November.

— by Regina Zilbermints