In a speech to the nation last night that focused on new vaccine mandates for federal workers and large companies, President Joe Biden praised United Airlines and demanded respect for airline workers, singling out flight attendants. He also announced that fines for airline passengers who fail to wear masks will be doubled.
Praising United Airlines An Archetype, Biden Calls For Mandatory Vaccines
Against the backdrop of stagnate vaccine program, Biden addressed Americans last night from the White House. Throughout his speech, he expressed frustration for those who have refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, arguing that it has unnecessarily prolonged the pandemic for everyone:
“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So, please, do the right thing. But just don’t take it from me; listen to the voices of unvaccinated Americans who are lying in hospital beds, taking their final breaths, saying, ‘If only I had gotten vaccinated.’ ‘If only.’
“It’s a tragedy. Please don’t let it become yours.”
To raise vaccination rates, Biden is ordering mandatory vaccinations for employees of companies with 1oo or more workers.
“But we need to do more. This is not about freedom or personal choice. It’s about protecting yourself and those around you — the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love.
“My job as President is to protect all Americans.
“So, tonight, I’m announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week.
“Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this: United Airlines, Disney, Tysons Food, and even Fox News.”
United Airlines became one of the first major U.S. companies to require a vaccine for all employees in early August. The vaccination deadline takes effect later this month.
Biden: Respect Flight Attendants
After meeting with the Association of Flight Attendants President Sara Nelson earlier in the day, President Biden also included a plea to show respect to flight attendants and other airline workers in his speech:
“Tonight, I’m announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration — the TSA — will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay.
“And, by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong; it’s ugly.”
Thank you for asking about Flight Attendants and expressing concern for how we are doing. We look forward to hearing from you tomorrow night and we will continue to work with you to end this pandemic. And yes, together We Have Power. #1u 2/2
— Sara Nelson (@FlyingWithSara) September 8, 2021
The new fines, implemented by the TSA, are theoretical only. Most mask offenders never have to pay a cent.
CONCLUSION
As the White House attempts to mandate vaccines for more Americans, the President has praised United Airlines and condemned the mistreatment of flight attendants. Meanwhile, United may be an early test case for whether employers can actually mandate employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
> Read More: United Airlines Pushes Back On Vaccine Religious Exemptions
image: White House
Demented in Chief
Better than the demented pussy-grabber.
History will tell. Nov 2022 will soon be here and he will crawl back to his basement until he retires.. 🙂
Demented idiot!! Go back to your adorable swamp land where you came from and were spawned. You filthy scum of hatred, ignorance and disgust!!
uh, we’ll take pussy grabbing any day over actual tyrants. fucking losers on this site.
At least we didn’t choose a crappy wannabe “luxury” car as our username.
My username has nothing to do with the car and more importantly, nothing to do with this article or post.
“Actual tyrant” – one who advocates for public health over the one who incited an insurrection…sure sure. Super sound logic.
You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier.
Things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Covid-19. There is a need, whether true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.
This could have a pretty large ripple effect across the travel industry. Presumably this could lead to most, if not all, hotel employees falling under a 100+ employee mandate. I’ll also be curious to see if AA toughens up their policy a bit in the coming days.
There is noting less likely to endear flight attendants to me (and presumably many others) than their oleaginous lobbying for extra fines and some folksy wisdom from our Federal politeness czar.
Yeah, there are crazy people who behave poorly and shouldn’t be on an airplane, but by and large, cabin crew have earned all the disdain and anger that many travelers feel for them, with the power-hungry, imperious, robotic, authoritarian manner they’ve handled us using this excuse or that (pandemic, Teerpeism, safety) to demean their passengers and treat us like shit.
Those who want respect, give respect.
The senile old bastard doesn’t realize the more he pushes something, the more resolve it gives those opposed to him. In 9 months he motivated the right far more than Trump ever did. Not that he has the mental capacity left to understand that.
Walk away and let the VP take over. She checks 2 boxes for President in today’s woke society and then the voters in states that matter can decide if they like what she offers in 24.
Sleepy,Creepy would have you think he kicked my butt. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A shot (I won’t dignify it by calling it a vaccine) as new as this one is should NEVER be mandated, either by the public or private sectors. As the shot is so new and was rolled out so quickly there is no way that there could be meaningful LONG TERM testing. Therefore I think those who have reservations due to fears of long term bad side effects need to be respected and I think that is a legitimate reason to decline the shot.
No one should be compelled to having anything injected into their body against their better judgment. Make no mistake, threatening someone’s livelihood is a form of compulsion, as are threats to make an entire subset of the population second class citizens.
LOL