Southwest Airlines will require all workers to be vaccinated ‘to continue employment’

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is demanding that all 60,000 of its employees be vaccinated or given an “airline” exemption after industry competitors such as American, United and JetBlue mandated Covid-19 vaccinations.

Southwest was the largest airline in the country in pandemic 2020. The company and other airlines are under pressure from the Biden government to comply with the president’s mandates on COVID-19 vaccines. The company confirmed that it spoke to a White House representative last week.

“Southwest Airlines must join our industry peers in complying with the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination policy,” said Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest, in a statement. “I encourage all Southwest employees to comply with the federal policy as soon as possible because we value each individual and want to ensure job security for all.”

Airlines

Unvaccinated employees cannot work for American Airlines due to the federal mandate

American Airlines executives told employees that due to the White House mandate for state contractors, they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to remain employed. In a letter to employees, the company said that because of its agreements with the US government, the company must adhere to the White House’s vaccine mandate for all federal contractors and that “all US-based American team members and certain international crew members will be vaccinated without providing a regular test alternative ”.

Southwest said employees should be vaccinated by December 8th.

The move comes almost a month after the von Biden government announced that all federal contractors and companies with more than 100 employees will need vaccines. Contractors who fail to comply could lose lucrative government contracts. Large employers could face fines of $ 14,500 per case from the labor protection agency.

In recent memos to employees, Kelly reiterated that he believed employees should be able to choose whether or not to get vaccinated, but also said that the government has the right to enforce mandates.

“Southwest Airlines is a federal contractor and we have no choice but to comply with the US government’s mandate to vaccinate employees and, like other airlines, we are taking steps to do so,” Kelly said in a memo to the Workers Monday.

Southwest also offers its employees the option to fill out a medical, handicapped accessible, or religious exemption form. Kelly told staff that “there are medical or religious accommodations, but these are very limited.”

American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, said last week that its employees need to be vaccinated to stay busy as well.

Southwest, along with airlines like Delta and American, had initially offered incentives such as extra pay or vacation time for those who would submit proof of application.

But there has been opposition, particularly from pilots who fear vaccination could cause medical complications and jeopardize their flight licenses. The CDC has stated that none of the federal government-approved COVID-19 vaccines present long-term health risks.

Pilot unions at American and Southwest have warned that there could be a shortage of pilots during vacation if vaccination regulations are imposed.

Last week, Chicago-based United Airlines reported that more than 99% of their employees were following the rules to get a vaccination or waiver. About 3% of employees applied for a religious or medical exemption.

Around 320 employees did without both. United said if workers are not vaccinated they will be laid off.

Delta Air Lines Inc. has not yet decided how to deal with a federal mandate for coronavirus vaccinations for workers in certain companies, saying there are “different ways” to ensure 100% of its employees get the vaccinations.

“Our goal is clearly to be 100%,” said Ed Bastian, Delta CEO, at a meeting related to an International Air Transport Association event in Boston. “There are several ways to get there and we will do it our own way. If there is another way and the government dictates it, we will continue to consider it. “

About 84% of Delta employees have received the vaccine, and Bastian said he anticipates the number will be “well over 90%” by Nov. 1.

For the aviation industry, pandemic losses are expected to exceed $ 200 billion as travel restrictions weigh on corporate and long-haul demand well into 2022. The airlines will show a combined deficit of 11.6 billion US dollars next year, the IATA announced on Monday in Boston.

Combined net losses of 201 billion. While domestic and regional traffic recovered, the global business route so important to many airlines has barely recovered.

The US is poised to open its borders to transatlantic visitors next month, but other long haul markets remain in the doldrums, especially those connecting Asia with Europe and North America.

Passenger traffic – the number of people flying the distance traveled – is projected to hit 40% of pre-pandemic levels this year and to 61% in 2022 when the number of travelers hits 3.4 billion. This is similar to the number of customers for 2014, but about a quarter below the number for 2019.

Bloomberg contributed to this story with reporting from Boston.

Airlines

According to United Airlines, more than 99% of employees were vaccinated

More than 99% of United Airlines employees met the company’s requirement that everyone receive a COVID-19 vaccine or apply for a medical or religious exemption, the company told its employees on Tuesday. Chicago-based United is among the most aggressive companies in the country mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for employees as the global pandemic extends into its 19th month. With the deadline for employees to provide evidence of vaccinations passed on Monday, the company said only 593 employees failed to comply and the company will be starting procedures to fire those employees in the coming days.

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