Showdown: Airline Workers Rally Around Texas Order Banning Covid Vaccine Mandates

With several large airlines holding their headquarters in the state of Texas, it’s no wonder why the state has become a hot spot for the battle between airlines and their workers over imposing a Covid vaccine mandate with threats of termination for non-compliance. We have chronicled the disaster at Southwest airlines with thousands of canceled flights, a problem that is still ongoing, but there are other airlines as well facing a backlash from workers, especially pilots, over mandatory vaccination to keep their jobs.

With Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to issue an executive order banning private companies from imposing vaccine mandates, the state is now the epicenter of the legal fight over President Biden’s mandatory vaccination requirement for companies with over 100 employees.

The fear for air travelers is that if airlines continue to push mandatory vaccination on workers, it will lead to bigger disruptions in travel if employees quit or are fired over the issue:

Hundreds of American Airlines workers and supporters crowded outside the company’s corporate headquarters in Fort Worth Thursday holding signs reading “Mandates won’t fly” and “Don’t fire my Dad” to protest a vaccine mandate issued last week under pressure from the White House.

Most were employees — pilots and flight attendants in uniforms, ramp agents, engineers and others —who are growing increasingly frustrated with the company over ultimatums that they be vaccinated or fired to comply with federal rules. Many were risking their jobs protesting in front of the airline’s headquarters, holding signs and yelling to cars entering and leaving the campus.

“I’m gonna have to leave if that’s what it comes to,” said Terry Smith, a 29-year pilot who flies Airbus A321 jets for American and is based at DFW International Airport. “I don’t think I’ll apply for an exemption because I don’t think it will be granted.”

Yes, there are technically medical and religious exemptions from the mandate, which result in weekly testing rather than the jab, but many employees don’t feel as though their accommodation request will be respected. Rather than try to fight for their personal liberty, they may decide to leave the industry altogether, an outcome that would cripple an already reeling portion of the economy before the busy holiday travel season.

As for Gov. Abbott’s vaccine mandate ban, Southwest and American say they will defy the state order and intend to follow the federal mandate from President Biden:

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, both based in Texas, said Tuesday that they will continue plans to require employees to get vaccinated, despite an edict issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that would ban vaccine mandates for private businesses in the state.

“Federal action supersedes any state mandate or law, and we would be expected to comply with the President’s Order to remain compliant as a federal contractor,” Southwest said in a statement to POLITICO, referencing the Biden administration’s requirement that government contractors be vaccinated by Dec. 8.

“We will continue to follow all orders closely and keep our employees updated on any potential changes to existing policies,” a spokesperson said, adding the airline is in the process of “reviewing all guidance issued on the vaccine.”

At face value, this makes sense, because without a court tossing out Biden’s employer vaccine mandate, it still stands and supersedes Abbott’s state order. In practice, however, the airlines are walking down a dangerous road that could wind up imperiling passengers as crews continue to be under enormous stress to get vaccinated or lose their job.

The White House argues that usurping personal freedom in favor of federal mandates will create an economic boon for businesses that willingly comply by reducing labors costs of sick days. That premise depends on whether the businesses, such as the airlines, can keep their employees happy and actually employed.

Both the Southwest and American have seat deadlines in late October or early November for compliance, and the unions and companies continue to deal and work out solutions to avoid layoffs. It’s possible that some of this will be smoothed over, with employees refusing a vaccine given reasonable accommodation to do so.

The battle between Abbott and Biden will eventually end up in court, and a legal move could also change the trajectory of the vaccine mandate battle as well.