The Southwest Airlines Pilot Association filed a lawsuit accusing Southwest Airlines of U.S. labor law violations. Now that the airline has mandated COVID-19 vaccinations with a set deadline, the union seeks to stop the airline from moving ahead with the deadline until the lawsuit is resolved.
According to The Dallas Morning News, the union has made a legal request to block Southwest from carrying out federally mandated coronavirus vaccinations temporarily. However, the carrier asked a federal court to reject the request, saying that such an order would cause “substantial harm” to the company’s business, employees, and customers.
According to the Dallas-based carrier, its mandate of COVID vaccinations for its workers is in compliance with President Joe Biden’s executive order that set a deadline of Dec. 8 for all employees of federal contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Southwest is one of the U.S. carriers that hold contracts to carry federal employees, U.S. mail, and other goods. According to the airline’s legal filing on Saturday, Oct. 16, the U.S. government is its largest single customer.
In addition to the vaccine mandate, the union’s lawsuit seeks to block COVID quarantine rules for pilots until the two sides agree on a resolution. It also wants to stop an infectious disease control policy that pilots believe significantly altered work conditions, rules, and pay rates.
According to the lawsuit, the changes that come with the quarantine rules and infectious disease control policy violate a “status quo” provision of the RLA by not maintaining the terms of an existing contract during negotiations.
Pilots believe the vaccines could put them at risk by affecting their ability to pass periodic medical examinations required to maintain their license. The union wants to negotiate how long-term disability policies would cover such instances.
A hearing on the union’s request for a temporary restraining order is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Recently, Southwest announced that it would not go through with its plan to put employees on unpaid leave if unvaccinated by the December deadline, but rather it would accept requests for medical or religious exemptions.