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And just like that, the COVID War has ended.
United Airlines, which was a leader in enforcing vaccine mandates for employees, announced last week that it will allow unvaccinated individuals to return to work at the end of the month, further cementing our forecast that the COVID War is wrapping up.
Kirk Limacher, the airline’s vice president for human resources, said in a note to employees that the company expects the case count in the U.S. to continue to decline “and, accordingly, we plan to welcome back those employees,” according to The New York Times.
The Trends Journal has covered the airlines’ push for universal vaccination and its legal fight for implementation. (See “UNITED AIRLINES EMPLOYEES SUE TO RESIST VAX MANDATE” and “UNITED AIRLINES CEO: JAB THE STAFF.”)
In August, United became one of the first large U.S. companies, and the first major airline, to announce that it was requiring all U.S. employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face termination.
President Joe Biden praised the company for leading the way. But six employees brought a lawsuit, saying they hoped to represent a class of over 2,000 United employees worldwide who have sought exemptions.
The airline fired more than 200 people who refused the jabs, and they will not be invited back, The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported.
TREND FORECAST: You know the facts, we have been reporting on them since the COVID War broke out. Across the business spectrum—from health care workers to truck drivers, from retail shops to drug stores—there is a dire shortage of workers.
Airlines fared no better. Last December, executives from major airlines told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that they are struggling to hire pilots, flight attendants, and other personnel.
The country’s easing “No Jab, No Job” mandates that were imposed by governments and businesses contributed to the job shortage and these executives are trying to correct the issue.
Last month, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a judge who denied the employees’ request for a preliminary injunction on the vaccine mandate needs to reconsider the ruling.
The judges said that United employees who were on unpaid leave were essentially “being coerced to violate their religious convictions,” amounting to irreparable harm, The Chicago Tribune reported.