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United wants to make Covid vaccine mandatory for employees
United Airlines plans to make all employees get the Covid-19 vaccine.
The airline is working with local officials and health-care facilities to set up vaccination centers at some of its major air hubs.
In a meeting with employees last week United CEO hopes other airlines and other businesses do the same.
"The worst thing that I believe I will ever do in my career is the letters that I have written to the surviving family members of co-workers that we have lost to the coronavirus," CEO Scott Kirby said, according to CNBC.
"Because I have confidence in the safety of the vaccine – and I recognize it’s controversial – I think the right thing to do is for United Airlines, and for other companies, to require the vaccines and to make them mandatory."
"I don’t think United will get away with and can realistically be the only company that requires vaccines and makes them mandatory," he said. "We need some others.," Kirby added.
Michael Klemm, President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, acknowledged it is a ‘sensitive topic’ among workers.
"We’ve received some frustration from members who don’t want to take the vaccine as well as concern from members who don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t take it," Klemm said.
The Association of Flight Attendants says it is working to make sure flight attendants get access to the vaccine but states across the country have put flight attendants in different priority tiers to receive inoculations.
The AFA wants federal intervention that gives flight attendants essential worker status, said union spokesperson Taylor Garland.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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