Former and current airline employees held a rally opposing vaccine mandates in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday.
Current and former employees gathered to have their voices heard, as large airlines are federal contractors and subject to President Biden’s order requiring employees to be vaccinated or receive an exemption for medical or religious reasons.
United Airlines was the first major carrier to impose a vaccine requirement and other airlines have followed suit.
Former flight attendant Jennifer Kiernan worked for United for nearly 28 years until she was terminated for refusing to get the vaccine, despite having both medical and religious exemptions.
Kiernan told Local 10 News“I was on an airplane flying and I get a message that I’m removed from my schedule, this was on Nov. 4th... it’s a disgrace, its very, very sad. Lives are turned upside down. What do you do? Lives are destroyed. What do I do? No health insurance, where do I go?"
Those who were protesting Tuesday claimed United has 300 Florida residents on unpaid leave for refusing to take the vaccine.
Pilot Anna-Maria Scoscone said “we love our careers that we’ve spent years building, we believe that our bodies belong to us, not to the federal government, not our employers."
Those who were protesting made it clear they are not fighting against vaccines, with Tom Oltorik of Florida Freedom Flyers telling Local 10 News "we are taking a stand for medical freedom. There are people who benefit from the vaccine and they should get the vaccine, immune compromised, seniors, so we need to respect that. We are not anti-vax, we are anti-mandate across the board."
The vaccine mandate is being challenged in court, with many United employees filing lawsuits.
United Airlines released a statement in response to the protests, saying Tuesday “we know that the best way to keep everyone as safe as we can is for everyone to get vaccinated, as nearly all United employees have chosen to do. We have identified non-customer facing roles where accommodated employees can apply and continue working until it is safe for them to their return to their current positions.”
United also said they have about 2,000 employees who have been accommodated for religious and/or medical reasons.