United Airlines to fire nearly 600 employees for not getting vaccinated; 99% company fully jabbed

United Airlines had ordered its employees to get fully vaccinated against coronavirus by September 27, or face dire consequences. Following on the promise, the company has fired nearly 600 staff members for not complying to these rules.

There were 593 staff members who have refused to get coronavirus vaccine and have also not applied for exemption on basis of religion or medical excuse. These employees now face termination of their services with the airlines.

"Our rationale for requiring the vaccine for all United's US-based employees was simple - to keep our people safe - and the truth is this: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, and vaccine requirements work," its chief executive Scott Kirby and president Brett Hart said. "This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority."

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However, the company is also boasting about achieving 99 per cent of vaccination completion rate within the company.

A vast majority of employees from the totality of 67,000 have been fully vaccinated and have been able to procure proof of vaccination by the deadline of Monday.

Additionally, nearly 2,000 employees have requested (and have been granted) exemption from getting vaccinated on religious and medical grounds.

United Airlines has still decided to give a second chance to the 593 staff members. If these employees have, by chance, been jabbed but have only failed to submit the proof, they can submit the document before the authorities conduct formal meetings over this issue and their jobs will be safe.

It has also been made clear that any new employee will be hired only if he/she is fully vaccinated against coronavirus.