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A Southwest Airways jet sits at a gate at Orlando Worldwide Airport in Orlando, Florida, U.S., October 11, 2021.
Joe Skipper | Reuters
A federal decide in Texas denied Southwest Airways pilots union’s request to briefly block a vaccine mandate for workers, which is a requirement below new authorities guidelines.
Dallas-based Southwest Airways should require workers to be absolutely vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19 by Dec. 8 until they obtain a non secular or medical exemption, in line with guidelines for federal contractors that the Biden administration issued final month.
Southwest and different main airways like Delta, United and American fly federal workers, U.S. mail and supply different companies to the federal government.
The Southwest Airways Pilots Affiliation, which represents some 9,000 aviators, sought a short lived restraining order in opposition to the mandate. The union had argued that the mandate, in addition to different Covid-related firm insurance policies, wanted to be negotiated with the union.
“Requiring Southwest workers to be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 will likewise enhance the security of air transportation, effectivity of Southwest’s operations, and additional the [collective bargaining agreement’s] objective of protected and affordable working circumstances for pilots,” U.S. District Choose Barbara Lynn wrote in her Tuesday ruling, denying the union’s restraining order request and dismissing the case.
The labor union stated it’s upset within the ruling and “we’re presently contemplating subsequent steps.”
It wasn’t the one dispute over airways’ vaccine mandates. United Airways is combating a lawsuit in U.S. District Court docket in Fort Value introduced by six workers who alleged they had been unfairly denied exemptions to the mandate. The decide briefly blocked United’s plan to place workers with exemptions on unpaid depart.
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