United Airlines became the 2nd major American airline to announce the discriminatory decision to mandate the experimental COVID-19 jabs for new employees.
At this rate, those wishing to become pilots and flight attendants may have a legal battle on their hands.
With Delta and United Airlines already jumping on the Medical Jim Crow bandwagon for future hires, don’t be surprised to see other major airlines join them.
Although United Airlines stated exemptions will be made on religious and medical grounds, you can bet they’ll make it near impossible to receive them.
Here’s the latest:
United Airlines is following in Delta's flight path in saying it won't hire employees who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. https://t.co/TUrO4dYhqZ
— John FitzGerald (@TheTweetOfJohn) June 7, 2021
In efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, United Airlines said it will require new US-based employees to be vaccinated against the virus. https://t.co/nhNObwSamu
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) June 7, 2021
🔁 #ICYMI | United Airlines (UA) has announced that it will require all new employees to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. UA says that current employees are exempt, but that those who do get vaccinated will receive additional vacation time.
🔗: https://t.co/KH1XU8Dt5S pic.twitter.com/bfuGqrehFd
— Airways Magazine (@airwaysmagazine) June 8, 2021
United said this will be effective for all job offers made after June 15, 2021, but will accommodate those who are unable to get vaccinated. https://t.co/PgijlUXVid
— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) June 8, 2021
First Delta, now United… please contact your representatives. This is religious and medical discrimination. https://t.co/pRaW0eu0yH
— Alicia, M.Ed. ✞ 🩸 (@npealicia) June 8, 2021
One issue that raises questions for the airlines enacting this policy is operating in states that have laws banning vaccine passports, such as Florida.
Will major American airlines be able to offer flights to and from these states?
Or will they have to capitulate like we saw with Royal Caribbean and their COVID-19 vaccine policy?
🚨BREAKING🚨Governor Ron Desantis WINS. Royal Caribbean caves, reverses course & won’t require cruise passengers to obtain vaccine passports. -Miami Herald
— Tim Swain (@_TimSwain_) June 4, 2021
Between lawsuits and potential loss of business, I think these new hire policies are doomed to fail.
From Business Insider:
United Airlines has said it will mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all new external hires, the company said in an internal memo shared with Insider.
All new employees receiving job offers after June 15 will be asked to show proof that they are fully vaccinated, United said in the memo.
“As we welcome new employees to the company, it’s important we instill in them United’s strong commitment to safety,” the memo said. “They will be required to upload their COVID vaccine card in My Info no later than 7 days post hire date.”
The airline said the new rule applies only to US-based hires, with an exemption for internationally-based staff. “Reasonable accommodation” will be given to hires who are not vaccinated on medical or religious grounds, per the memo.
The airline will not require current employees to get jabbed, but will strongly encourage it by offering incentives. Last week, United said it would give vaccinated flight attendants up to three additional days of vacation, according to a letter shared by the Association of Flight Attendants.
United has also offered its MileagePlus passengers the chance to win a year of free flights if they can show they’re vaccinated.
In January, United CEO Scott Kirby said he wanted to make vaccines mandatory, and encouraged other companies to to the same.
United follow Delta Air Lines which last month announced that it would require all new employees to be vaccinated, and may bar current staff from working on international flights if they refuse to get the jab.
Daily Mail added to the story:
Current employees of United are not required to be vaccinated, but the company has strongly urged them to do so.
Earlier this week, they incentivized having the vaccine by announcing they would give three extra extra vacation days to employees who have their first shot by June 9.
The company says around 80 percent of its 96,000 employees have already provided proof of vaccination.
United CEO Scott Kirby signaled his support for mandating the vaccine during an employee town hall event back in in January.
‘If other businesses go along and are willing to start to mandate vaccines, you should probably expect United to be amongst the first wave of companies that do it,’ he stated.
United has also urged its customers to also have the vaccine, and they are running a competition offering flights for a year’s worth of travel.
Under the terms of their ‘Your Shot to Fly’ sweepstakes, members of the airline’s frequent flier program who upload their vaccination records to United’s website before mid-June will be entered to win a roundtrip flight for two, in any class of service, to anywhere in the world United flies.
The carrier is to give away 30 pairs of tickets throughout the month of June before announcing five randomly selected members for a grand prize of travel for a year for themselves and a companion.
Delta announced they were mandating COVID vaccines for new recruits on May 14.
We know that vaccines are the best tool we have to protect one another and bring an end to the pandemic,’ the company declared at the time.
It called the move to require vaccines for new hires important as ‘our business recovers and demand for air travel continues to rise.’
Responses to the news were deeply divided.
Some welcomed the suggestion for the safety of customers, some of whom may be unable to get the vaccine themselves for medical reasons.
Others were outraged that the airline is forcing new recruits to have the vaccine if they want the job.
‘What happened to “my body, my choice”?’ one person raged on social media.
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