Roughly 96% of United Airlines employees across all work groups are vaccinated and over 99% of employees who did not seek an exemption are vaccinated. Now comes the hard part: dealing with that last 4%.
United Airlines Reports 96% Of All U.S. Employees Are Vaccinated, Including 99% Who Did Not Seek Exemption
United Airlines has one of the strictest vaccines mandates in the country: employees have no alternative testing option and those front-line workers who have been granted religious or medical exemptions pursuant to federal law may soon go on unpaid leave until the pandemic subsides.
But with the September 27, 2021 deadline now passed, United’s approach seems to have work: only 593 employees have not been vaccinated or sought an exemption. That’s less than 1% of United’s 67,000 USA-based employees.
While United has, thus far, refused to provide the precise number of those who have sought a religious or medical exemption, it has said that the number is “about 3%” of USA-based employees, which works out to about 2,000 people. It is also not clear of those 2,000 employees how many were approved or declined for their exemption.
But even with the exemption requests factored in, United can boast a 96% vaccination rate.
A group of employees has sued United over the vaccinate mandate and as a result, United has delayed the date it will place employees who have requested an exemption on unpaid leave to October 15th. A United spokesperson confirmed to Live and Let’s Fly that United should have a clearer picture of the pending lawsuit after an October 8th hearing.
For the 593 who neither submitted proof of vaccination nor timely requested an exemption, termination will now begin, in accordance with their collective bargaining contract. An employee memo reviewed by Live and Let’s Fly states:
Lastly, for the less than 1% of people who decided to not get vaccinated, we’ll unfortunately begin the process of separation from the airline per our policy. This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority. The pandemic is now killing more than 2,000 people per day – a 65% increase in just the past 30 days – and the most effective way to keep our people safe, is to make sure they’re vaccinated.
However, even after the deadline United has offered an olive branch to employees who still choose to get vaccinated. While United will not rule out disciplinary action short of termination, it promised to work with those employees who have a change of heart.
CONCLUSION
As I predicted last week, United’s mission is already essentially accomplished, no matter what happens to the last 4% of employees concerning inoculations. Even so, United will “vigorously defend” its vaccine policy and will move to terminate those who are not vaccinated and did not seek an exemption.
> Read More: Lawsuit Against United Airlines On Vaccine Mandate Hinges On Two Key Issues
> Read More: Blaming Lawsuit, United Airlines Delays Unpaid Leave For Unvaccinated Employees Granted Exemptions
image: United
So basically all the noise United employees made when this mandate was announce was for nothing, only 593 of them had the guts to stand their ground not claiming any sort of religious exemption.
After the uproar this mandate caused and headlines generated I was certain the number of unvaccinated would have been much higher than 593 employees. No matter how this is sliced it is a win, win for mandates and those who believe mandates work. Although I’m fully vaccinated I’m not a huge fan of mandates my feelings are they are counterproductive but here United with their mandate has proved me wrong with only 593 employees standing their ground with their jobs on the line.
I think it’s a victory for United and have to imagine that 593 number will shrink unless these people are idiots or have obtained bad legal advice. It is now my hope that the 3% who sought exemptions will not be effectively sacked. I believe UA accomplished its mission and can proudly boast an extremely high vaccination rate.
Because putting a gun to people’s heads is the new American way of doing things.
Actually the anti-vaxxers are putting their own gun to their own head – it’s only a pandemic among their own ilk. The vaccinated aren’t filling the hospitals these days & dying.
Or do they not mention that on Newsmax?
Well, I work at the Mayo Clinic and of our 22 ICU COVID patients 16 were vaccinated. Not that scientific data is of any importance to the critically miss informed.
Interesting anecdote. Directly contradicts basically all published data. Surely the renowned Mayo Clinic might make such data public. Care to source your claim?
Here’s a link for you – directly contradicts your claim – https://www.news8000.com/majority-of-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-unvaccinated-or-immunocompromised-mayo-clinic-expert-says/
And another – https://www.leadertelegram.com/covid-19/doctor-recent-mayo-icu-patients-tend-to-be-unvaccinated/article_f03e178b-4dc1-5dc1-9820-5fd6367fc364.html
And another – https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/featured-topic/preparing-for-another-covid-19-wave
yeah, I call hot garbage on you
I think United will have to let the remaining 539 go unless they get vaccinated. If they don’t then they’re just bluffing and an employer or a parent can never bluff. If United did as you suggest, how would that look when the next acrimonious labor dispute pops up?
Because, in their heart, most people know the the anti-vax thing is BS. It’s just boomers having a hissy fit.
I haven’t flown since the Pandemic started. A big part of picking an airline when I fly again is the vaccination status of the crew and staff of the airline.
Kudos to United, they will be at the top of my list. American will be at the bottom. Last thing I want to do is to get into a small space with lots of people with uncertain vaccination status.
I also wish everyone would be vaccinated, but isn’t the far greater problem that you have no idea if the passengers seated around you are vaccinated?
Idiot-Defined*(once) as a person with an IQ ranging between 0 and 25…it appears United has a fine vetting process for(former) applicants..and the aforestated may explain the “exemplary” customer service(sarc)!!!!
*Merriam-Webster???
A foolish or stupid person.-now that’s better(/sarc redux)
593 candidates for the Flat Earth Society, who refuse to acknowledge science and ascribe to outlandish theories about motivations behind this policy. The Truth: UA found a legal method to flush the vocal miscreants from their ranks. Think they’ll be missed?