IBM, American Air, Southwest Snub Abbott and Back Biden on Shots
(Bloomberg) -- International Business Machines Corp., American Airlines Group Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. will follow President Joe Biden’s mandate requiring that employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, defying an order from the Texas governor blocking such actions.
The decisions Tuesday set up an immediate challenge to Republican Governor Greg Abbott by three of the state’s largest employers. Companies with business operations in Texas have been caught between Abbott’s decree and a White House measure that says federal contractors must require the shots.
“IBM is a federal contractor and must comply with federal requirements, which direct employees of federal contractors to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by December 8th or obtain a medical or religious accommodation,” a spokesperson for the New York-based company said. “We will continue to protect the health and safety of IBM employees and clients, and we will continue to follow federal requirements.”
IBM has more than 6,000 people in its Austin-area workforce alone, according to the local chamber of commerce, and the two airlines have an even bigger footprint in the state. American, the largest U.S. carrier, is based in Fort Worth, and No. 4 Southwest has its headquarters in Dallas. Both airlines have contracts with the federal government for transporting employees and goods.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ibm-american-air-southwest-snub-abbott-and-back-biden-on-shots/ar-AAPqvvm
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