Federal decide rejects Southwest Airways pilots’ request to dam vaccine mandate

A federal decide in Texas denied Southwest Airways pilots union’s request to quickly block a vaccine mandate for workers, which is a requirement below new authorities guidelines.

Dallas-based Southwest Airways should require employees to be absolutely vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19 by Dec. 8 except they obtain a spiritual or medical exemption, based on guidelines for federal contractors that the Biden administration issued final month.

Southwest and different main airways like Delta, United and American fly federal staff, U.S. mail and supply different providers to the federal government.

The Southwest Airways Pilots Affiliation, which represents some 9,000 aviators, sought a brief 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 staff to be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 will likewise enhance the protection of air transportation, effectivity of Southwest’s operations, and additional the [collective bargaining agreement’s] purpose of protected and cheap working circumstances for pilots,” U.S. District Decide Barbara Lynn wrote in her Tuesday ruling, denying the union’s restraining order request and dismissing the case.

The labor union stated it’s disenchanted within the ruling and “we’re at present contemplating subsequent steps.”

It wasn’t the one dispute over airways’ vaccine mandates. United Airways is preventing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court docket in Fort Value introduced by six staff who alleged they had been unfairly denied exemptions to the mandate. The decide quickly blocked United’s plan to place employees with exemptions on unpaid go away.