Tina Bellon and Eric M. Johnson

AUSTIN/SEATTLE – Nearly half of approximately 10,000 people employed at plane companies work in Wichita, Kansas. Textron Inc Spirit AeroSystems and the (NYSE:), remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. This puts them at risk of losing their jobs, as per a union official.

Cornell Adams of the Machinists district, said “We are going to lose many employees over this.” While many workers didn’t object to vaccinations in general, Adams said they were opposed to any government intervention into their health.

To assist workers and to prepare lawsuits against companies in Texas, the union district hired a Texas-based attorney to represent them should they refuse to allow religious or medical exemptions.

Adams, a lifelong Democrat said he will no longer vote in the party’s name. They won’t get another vote from my party and that’s what I am telling workers in the workplace.

For companies who want to retain federal contracts, the clock is ticking under an executive order from Democratic President Joe Biden that requires all contract employees to have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 vaccine by December 8.

According to U.S. government guidance, federal workers who are contract workers should have their last COVID-19 shots at least two weeks in advance of the deadline for maximum protection.

Workers must have their first shot of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine by Wednesday, as there is a three week delay between shots. It is too late to make a decision if the government doesn’t meet its deadline. Moderna The vaccine is administered in four doses and can be purchased at (NASDAQ:). Workers could opt to get Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:)’s single-shot vaccine until Nov. 24 to meet the deadline.

Workers in all industries have protested against the mandate, along with Republican state officials.

Opinions against the mandate could lead to U.S. workers losing thousands of jobs, and threaten an already slowing economic recovery, according to union leaders, workers, and executives.

There are more legal disputes likely about how vaccination exemption requests are handled by companies.

The companies are feeling the pressure, but the Biden administration indicated that federal contractors won’t have to lay off workers who missed the Dec. 8 deadline.

Under government guidance https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/contractors published on Monday, companies will have flexibility over how to implement the mandate, which may allow them to avoid mass firings.

The guidance stated that a covered contractor must determine which enforcement methods are appropriate for its employees.

People familiar with the situation told Reuters that more than 7,000 Boeing workers applied for religious exemptions in the United States and about 1,000 sought medical exemptions. It is approximately 6% from the roughly 125,000 U.S. workers employed by Boeing.

“ILLEGAL, IMMORTAL AND IMPRACTICAL”

Many of the workers who gathered last week in driving rain outside Boeing’s Auburn property, south Seattle, said that they prefer to be taken off Boeing property Dec. 8, rather than receive a vaccination. Others stated that they wanted to retire early.

A veteran Boeing program analyst was among those who spoke out against the mandate. We are united against the government and company that violates our rights.

Many experts in legal matters have stated that mandated vaccines for public health purposes are legal.

Boeing executives have been caught in the middle of a rebellion. A presidential order must be followed or the company may lose its skilled workforce.

Boeing representatives stated that they are committed to creating a safe environment for their employees.

More tension is caused by the provision of religious and medical exemptions in the Order.

Textron employees who asked for religious exemptions said that Reuters’ human resource representatives quizzed them about the names of church leaders, and then asked questions about their faith.

Textron refused to answer questions. However, a statement from Textron stated it was bound to obey Biden’s orders and that they were taking the necessary steps.

Textron explained that workers who can’t receive COVID-19 due to medical conditions or deeply held religious beliefs are allowed to request accommodation.

Spirit AeroSystems didn’t respond to my request for comments.

Raytheon Technologies’ CEO Greg Hayes warned last week that the U.S. defense company will be losing “several thousand” workers because of this mandate.

FedEx Corp (NYSE 🙂 is represented by this group United Parcel Service Inc (NYSE 🙂 and other carriers of cargo said that it was virtually impossible for all employees to be vaccinated before the deadline.

Even though there is no immediate regulation from the government, some companies have implemented vaccine mandates.

Mercedes-Benz USA, an American unit of the German carmaker Daimler AG (DE:), which isn’t a U.S. government contractor told workers in October that they would need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccine. This email was seen by Reuters.

According to the carmaker, it took this action in anticipation of an additional U.S. vaccine mandate. This would affect businesses that have at least 100 employees and could potentially impact some 80 million workers across America.

According to an anonymous source, less than half the workers in U.S. Import Processing Centers are immunized and some refuse to have their shots.

Mercedes USA stated that it gave employees 90 days notice in order to comply with the obligation. It also said that 2/3 of U.S. workers – including those in Alabama – had provided evidence of vaccination.

According to the company, “We anticipate that the vast majority our employees will present proof of vaccination prior to the deadline.”