* Union says decision endangers health

* Banks pledge to vaccinate only high-risk employees

* Health officials say they distributing vaccine widely

By Bill Berkrot

NEW YORK, Nov 5 (Reuters) - New York City health officials scrambled to explain themselves on Thursday following outraged media reports about bankers who got scarce H1N1 flu vaccines through their employers.

Although there is a longstanding arrangement for employers to provide seasonal flu shots to workers, the city health department was bombarded with calls and television reports about Wall Street workers jumping the line ahead of pregnant women and children.

"It's bad enough that Wall Street crashed our economy and is back to paying out platinum bonuses after taking trillions in taxpayer-funded bailouts and backstops," Service Employees International Union Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger said in a statement.

"But purposely endangering the health of millions of Americans during a public health crisis crosses all lines of decency."

The shortage of H1N1 vaccines has frayed some nerves, and public health departments across the country say they will not be able to meet the bulk of the demand until December or January.