Delta claims they will hit 95% employee vaccinations next month. They'll also consider religious and medical exemptions so that 1% to 2% of their employees won't have either. Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian won't say what will happen to these employees after December 8. This deadline was set by the Biden administration for government contractors to achieve 100% compliance. Bastian stressed that they are doing this without a mandate.
He said this on CNBC's Squawk Box this AM.
The vaccine mandate was intended to make people get vaccinated. It wasn't meant to threaten their jobs if they do the right thing.
Bastian is claiming that 98% of the population will be satisfied and the Biden administration won't blink?
I had expected that the deadline of December 8 would push but it won't until we get there. Major airlines will need to comply with the regulations, otherwise the Biden administration will not want to be blamed if holiday travel is disrupted by mass cancellations.
They will need to give a reason why they are unable to finish their task on time. They will either declare victory or offer technical grounds for an extension. It will be difficult to avoid this if the U.S.'s overall Covid-19 prevalence is low as November nears.
OSHA's mandate just fell, and it doesn't seem to have the same legal security as requiring vaccinations for eligibility for government contracts. This strategy is similar to extending the CDC eviction ban after the Supreme Court made it clear that it wasn't supported by statutory authority. It can be used to promote vaccination, and courts will have the opportunity to weigh in.
