Reuters
Published Aug 06, 2021 07:33AM ET
Updated Aug 06, 2021 06:45PM ET
By Allison Lampert and David Shepardson
(Reuters) -United Airlines Inc on Friday became the first U.S. airline to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all domestic employees, joining a swelling list of companies mandating jabs for workers as coronavirus cases rise.
Employers from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) to Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) have mandated vaccines, recent moves that experts said were legal but could raise labor tensions in unionized workplaces.
On Friday evening, Frontier Airlines said all direct employees would need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1, 2021 or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test on a regular basis.
Earlier in the day, United, the No. 3 U.S. carrier by revenues in 2019 according to government data, said its 67,000 U.S. employees would need to show proof of inoculation for a vaccine fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Such approval is expected this fall..
"The facts are crystal clear: Everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated," United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby (NYSE:KEX) and President Brett Hart said in a letter to employees.
Kirby and Hart said they expected some employees would disagree with the decision, although 90% of the carrier's pilots and 80% of flight attendants are already vaccinated.
Eric Feldman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, said mandates like the one United announced are on "strong legal footing."
The mandate comes as concerns over the variant reverberate through the U.S. airline industry, which is rebounding from a slowdown in travel last year due to the virus.
On Thursday, Frontier lowered its third-quarter forecast and warned the Delta variant was hurting demand.
Health officials have called for reinstating indoor mask mandates for most vaccinated Americans and some companies are delaying return-to-office timetables.
Unions from several industries, including ones representing pilots from American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) Group and United, want any vaccine mandate to be worked out through collective bargaining.
Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State, said he believes unions want to avoid any precedent of employers taking decisions alone on working conditions.
"If you allow an employer to make a unilateral decision in this area it erodes their bargaining rights," Clark said. "What are they going to make a unilateral decision about next time?"
The Association of Flight Attendants, the union representing United flight attendants, backed the move.
"There is now too much at risk to not ensure the safety and well-being of United Flight Attendants," the union said in a statement.
United, like rival Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), was already requiring the vaccine for new employees and had encouraged current employees to voluntarily take the vaccine through incentives like bonuses or vacation time.
Some other major industries like U.S. automakers have reinstated mask requirements but declined to mandate vaccines for employees.
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.