Jonghyun
Seattle (Associated Press) – The King County Superior Court judge upheld the Port of Seattle’s requirement that all port employees be vaccinated before November 15 as a condition of employment.
According to the Seattle Times, Judge Samuel Chung dismissed a motion for a preliminary injunction against two unions representing port employees seeking authorization in the lawsuit.
In an email to port employees on November 12, Port Executive Director Steve Metruk said: “I want everyone to stay safe, healthy, and stay in the port.”
A port spokesperson stated that 90% of port employees have been fully vaccinated. The other 10% must prove that they have been vaccinated by 5 pm on November 15. The spokesperson said that they can also submit an exemption request for medical or religious reasons, or request an extension to prove that they are being vaccinated.
Local 117 and 763, the international brotherhood of truck drivers, filed a lawsuit, representing approximately 225 employees, including police and bus drivers.
The union said: “We are disappointed that the port has forced our members to choose between maintaining their own careers or doing something against their conscience or risking their health.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated people are more than 6 times more likely to test positive for coronavirus and more than 11 times more likely to die from the disease.
In October, a Thurston County Superior Court judge dismissed a motion for a preliminary injunction by state police, correctional officers, and ferry workers against the authorization of vaccines provided by Governor Jay Inslee for state workers.
