Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and Norfolk Southern say they have suspended their COVID-19 vaccination mandate following a Tuesday ruling by a federal judge blocked the Biden Administration’s executive order requiring vaccination for federal contractors.
Reuters reports that UP said 74% of its 31,000 employees were fully vaccinated as of Dec. 8, and that was still asking workers to be vaccinated and report their status. BNSF said it was pausing implementation of the mandate for its 35,000 employees.
The Wall Street Journal reports Norfolk Southern also said it was suspending mandate enforcement.
The mandates of those railroads, Amtrak, and Chicago commuter operator Metra, are the subject of lawsuits and countersuits between the operators and rail unions. Amtrak President Stephen Gardner told a congressional hearing on Thursday that his company was still proceeding with its mandate requirement and was preparing to announce service cuts related to a shortage of vaccinated employees [see “Amtrak sticks to employee vaccine mandate …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 9, 2021].
U.S. District Judge Stan Baker in Savannah, Ga., ruling on a lawsuit by seven states and a contractors’ group, said Tuesday the government’s mandate exceeded its authority.
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