Eric M. Johnson

SEATTLE (Reuters) – The number of Boeing employees (NYSE:) seeking a vaccination exemption for religious or medical reasons has surpassed 11,000 – which is nearly 9% of the company’s U.S workforce. This figure was much higher than initially thought by executives, according to people who were familiar with this matter.

The widespread reluctance has left executives scrambling for a strategy that keeps employees safe and complies with President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/legal-challenges-awaiting-bidens-vaccine-mandate-2021-11-04 for federal contractors, but avoids an exodus of engineering and factory labor, the people said.

The standoff comes as the U.S. planemaker tries to muscle through industrial and certification challenges https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-deals-with-new-defect-787-dreamliner-wsj-2021-10-14 on its 787, 777X and Starliner spacecraft programs, as well as depressed demand and supply-chain shortages.

The White House extended Jan. 4, the deadline by which federal contractors employees must be immunized or tested for diseases, to last week.

According to sources in the industry and a company email, Boeing delayed Friday’s deadline to January 4 by approximately a month. This allowed employees to file an exemption for religious or medical reasons or to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

According to an internal email, compliance remains a condition on employment.

Boeing also stated that employees who submit requests will be subject to a physical distance, face cover and frequent COVID-19 testing.

According to the email, “Anyone who hasn’t received their final dose of vaccines or been approved to stay at Boeing will receive a last warning. They will need to comply promptly if they are to keep their job.”

Boeing declined to count the number of vaccine exemption requests.

Boeing “is committed to maintaining safe working environments for its employees,” the spokesperson explained.

EXEMPTION REQUESTS

Boeing’s Chief Executive Dave Calhoun asked employees to wear a facemask on webcasts throughout the company.

According to two Boeing employees, executives originally estimated that vaccine resistance would be about 2% among workers. This was a figure the company could control. One person who was familiar with the situation said that more than 10,000 workers had already filed religious exemptions. A second source said it reached more than 11,300. A further 1,000 people filed for a medical exemption according to another source.

Engineers say it is difficult to be proud of your company because there are so many program issues. He also stated that he would quit the job if his religious exemption was not granted. “Many are unhappy with the way we handle the vaccine mandate.”

This issue has also been affecting other aerospace companies. According to two sources, around 50 people at Boeing Lockheed Martin Corp.’s United Launch Alliance (ULA), rocket factory, Decatur, Alabama have either been placed on unpaid leaves or decided to retire earlier after failing to comply with a deadline set by the company.

The third individual said that ULA executives expected to lose 15% (or as much as 390) of the roughly 2,600 people it employs.

ULA spokesperson stated that so far, 1% (or roughly 26) of the workforce had left permanently. ULA has “decided that vaccinations are required to ensure the health safety of employees as well as align with U.S. government customers and industry direction”, a spokesperson for the organization stated.

ULA executives made the decision to reject all religious exemption applications from employees. It was too difficult to review each case individually, and it is why they are now leaving.

Vandiver, a 45-year-old ULA worker who was placed on unpaid leaves, stated, “I do not conform to strong arming or coercion.”