United Airlines announced Tuesday that only 593 of its workers face dismissal for not complying with the requirement to get a COVID-19 vaccine. That is less than 1% of its 67,000 U.S. workers who are covered by the rule.
About 2,000 other employees, or less than 3% of the workforce, have applied for a medical or religious exemption from the vaccine, and their cases are now being considered by the airline.
“Our rationale for requiring the vaccine for all United’s U.S.-based employees was simple — to keep our people safe,” said United CEO Scott Kirby in a letter sent to United employees, which was also released to the media. “The truth is this: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, and vaccine requirements work.”
Some of the 593 employees who have not yet complied with the requirement could still be kept on staff if they have received the vaccine or started the vaccine process and had not forwarded proof to the airline.
Some employers are concerned that mandating their staff get a vaccine could lead people to quit their jobs during a very tight labour market. But the jobs at United, almost all of which are covered by union contracts, are apparently attractive enough for even vaccine-hesitant employees to get vaccinated.
Support for employer mandates has also been growing as COVID-19 cases and deaths surged this summer, primarily among unvaccinated people. A CNN poll conducted in August showed 54% supported employer vaccine mandates, up from only 46% support in April.
United, like all airlines, trimmed its staff in 2020 as air travel fell sharply. Airlines are now all in the process of hiring staff to deal with a rebound in air travel. And United officials said some of the most qualified candidates volunteered that they were applying for jobs at United because of the vaccine requirement and what it says about the airline’s commitment to the safety of employees.
United has one of the strictest employer vaccine mandates. The