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United Airlines ready to fire workers for defying vaccine mandate

Published 09/28/2021, 06:08 PM
Updated 09/29/2021, 06:15 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

By Rajesh Kumar Singh

CHICAGO (Reuters) -United Airlines said on Tuesday nearly 600 U.S.-based employees faced termination after failing to comply with the carrier's vaccination policy.

In early August, the company became the first U.S. carrier to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all domestic employees, requiring proof of vaccination by Monday.

The carrier said it would start on Tuesday the process of firing 593 employees who decided not to get vaccinated.

"This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority," Chief Executive Scott Kirby (NYSE:KEX) and President Brett Hart told employees in a memo.

The workers can save their jobs if they get vaccinated before their formal termination meetings, the company officials said.

United has received requests for vaccine exemptions from employees for religious and medical reasons. Those employees account for less than 3% of the airline's 67,000 U.S. workforce, United officials said.

The company had plans to put employees who received religious exemptions on temporary, unpaid personal leave from Oct. 2. Those plans, however, have been put on hold until Oct. 15 because of a lawsuit challenging the policy.

Excluding those who have sought an exemption, United said more than 99% of U.S.-based employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

A company spokesperson said the airline plans to hire about 25,000 people over the next few years, and vaccination will be a condition of employment for all new hires.

United will also require students at its pilot training school to get vaccinated, the spokesperson said.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

The company dismissed the notion that the vaccine requirement was deterring applicants for jobs at the air carrier.

United received 700 applications for about 400 job postings last month at a Denver career fair. Similarly, it has received more than 20,000 applications for about 2,000 open positions for flight attendants, the spokesperson said.

Latest comments

BOYCOTT !
Absurd. What this world has become. Like China from top all the way down in the list !
All you anti vaccin people are holding back the recovery of the USA economy and frankly acting like babies. Give your vaccins to countries that want it, but can’t afford it. I will fly UA more often, because they do care about my health. Glad you guys won’t be on those plains 😀😀😀
guess I will no longer fly United.. friendly skies are now vaccine nazis.. so sad
well, soon you won't be flying on any airline other than your own private jet. lmao
gamerturtle, he also can't travel to most countries in Europe if he is unvaccinated lol
boycott businesses that terrorize their employees and customers with vax mandatory. this is insane tyranny that shouldn't be acceptable in any western civilization
I am flying on them right now (plane internet) their planes are garbage. Wait to people start sabotaging them.
that airline lost my luggage and didn't care
Look these vaccines are our only hope and all of you are ****hats thinking that covid will just go away without a vaccine.  Nothing is perfect.  What amazes me is that all you parents dutifully stuck your newborns with at least five vaccines no questions asked.  Now that you are grown up, fat and unheathly, you are all ****bent on one vaccine that is a community effort.  America is soooo selfish.
With vaccine, spread is the same as with no vaccine.  Why are they talking about keeping employees safe?
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