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Federal Judge in TX Stops United Airlines Vaccine Mandate on Employees
A Texas federal judge has put a stop to the enforcement of United Airlines’ vaccine mandate. The said company has been putting their employees who requested religious exemptions to the vaccination on unpaid leave.
On Tuesday, a U.S. judge in Texas temporarily halted United Airlines from putting any worker on unpaid leave if they request religious exemptions from the airlines in connection to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Additionally, the judge also temporarily put a stop to the company denying late requests for any religious or medical exemptions.
Back in September, workers of United Airlines sued the company for its preemptive issuance of a vaccine mandate for its employees ahead of President Joe Biden’s formal issuance of a federal vaccine mandate.
According to a report by The Hill, six employees filed a federal lawsuit against the airlines as they hope to block United’s vaccine mandate from taking effect. The said complaint claimed that the airlines discriminated against workers who asked for religious or medical accommodations.
Can you fire someone for being unhealthy? For being a smoker? For having type 2 diabetes? For being overweight? For being old? For having a poor immune system? For being sick? All contribute to more serious cases of Corona virus. Is that next United Airlines?
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) October 13, 2021
The class-action lawsuit was led by United Airlines captain David Sambrano, who hails from North Texas. According to The Texan, the said suit was filed on Sept. 21, and it asks for an injunction against the airline company that would stop it from firing or placing on unpaid leave any worker who has a legitimate basis for seeking an exemption.
In turn, United had also filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has previously released an executive order that bans the enforcement of any vaccine mandate in the state. This includes those issued by private employers. However, it seems big airline companies have vowed to go against the said order.
Both American and Southwest airlines revealed that they would keep on implementing the vaccine mandate despite the Texas executive order, per Politico’s report on Tuesday.
In connection to the matter at hand, Southwest released a statement, saying that “Federal action supersedes any state mandate or law.” It added that it plans on complying with Biden’s executive order as the airline is a federal contractor.
However, Garry Kelly, Southwest’s CEO, went on an interview on ABC News’ “Good Morning America,” saying that workers would not be fired over the vaccine mandate, despite the previous company correspondence revealing the contrary.
The Southwest CEO’s timing of his announcement may have more to do about litigations recently filed against the company in Dallas than his convictions against the mandates.
According to a Bloomberg report, Southwest Airlines pilots have asked a court in Dallas, Texas, to temporarily block the said airline company from enforcing federally mandated COVID-19 vaccinations until an already existing lawsuit connected to U.S. labor law violations is resolved.
🚨 – Southwest Airlines pilots file restraining order against the company to halt vaccine mandate.#NoVaccinePassports#NoVaccineMandates#SouthWestAirhttps://t.co/uiXw9vsHpk
— Your Special Agent (@youspecialagent) October 10, 2021
The same report revealed that the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association’s filing also requested an immediate hearing about the request before a federal court in Dallas. The group claims that the airline has continued to pursue unilateral actions that go against the terms of the Railway Labor Act. One of those steps is the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Over the weekend, Southwest flights have started to be canceled, while almost 2,000 flights have been delayed. The airline company continues to deny that a “sick out” has been happening, which has caused operational problems. Instead, the company has blamed “poor planning” and “external operational challenges.”
However, these issues seemed to have been resolved on Tuesday morning, and Southwest’s cancelations and delays went down.
Gov. Abbott recently released an executive order stating that any vaccine mandate will not be enforced in the state. This comes as the Biden administration has yet to formally issue the federal vaccine regulation even over a month following its announcement. Because of this, Texas is pushing the Biden administration to issue the unlawful mandate so that it may get litigated in court.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed a fine on Leon County worth $3.75 million because of its imposed vaccine mandate despite the state’s ban on “vaccine passport.” On the other hand, in a court battle in New York, a judge has struck down the state’s enforcement of the vaccine mandate as it was deemed unconstitutional based on the grounds of equal protection and of the First Amendment.
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5 Comments
I’m glad to see people starting to fight back on all of this bs. If only we could get a few million to gather in DC and give that place a really good cleansing that it so desperately needs.
I respect the hell out of the governors of Texas and Florida and South Dakota. Now I ask where are the other Republican leaders? Hiding from their own backbone?
You need balls … you have to grow a pair of balls … I admit I didn’t grow mine until I was in my mid-30s … but I try to stand up for what I believe in whether it’s someone getting put down by a racist or someone getting put down because they’re old … you have to stand and believe in what you believe in …. and when you get old you’ve got to be aware of your surroundings always be aware of your situation and carry a knife a man without a knife is only half a Man
The fundamental flaw of our political system lies in electoral process. Devoid of any requisites, achievements or merit, the procesz advances those most able at exploit the weaknesses in human nature-envy a primary one. Envy engagement is the Neandertal manipulation tool of democrats, and its effectiveness is well evidenced in longstanding political careers of Pelousi, Schifty, Madler and ….envy is the parent of victimhood. Logic is envy’s opponent-as logic would choose candidates who improve the circumstance of their constituency, rather than continued promotion of these ‘leaders’ whose actions and policies lessened constituents’ cicumstance while greatly enhancing their own. This repitition is an example of insanity.
Homer you are amazing