ELMA, N.Y. (WBEN) - Approximately 200 employees at Moog walked out of their job Monday afternoon in response to a vaccine mandate that was announced for employees last week.
Employees at Moog were told last Wednesday they would need to receive the vaccine by December 8 or lose their job if they refuse. The mandate comes after the federal government in September ordered all federal workers be vaccinated by December 8.
Moog, which designs and manufacturers equipment used in the aircraft, defense, medical, space, and other industries, is contracted to work for the United States government and its workers must also be vaccinated as part of the mandate.
The planned protest at the corner of Jamison Road and Seneca Street in Elma drew a larger crowd with supporters and politicians, some of whom with signs which railed against the vaccine mandates.
"We are not here to fight against Moog," Matt Schieber, a manager at Moog and one of the organizers of the walkout, said. "We are here to fight on behalf of Moog. After all, we are all in this together."
Moog did not immediately return WBEN's request for comment.
"I don't want the door to tyranny to crack open," Schieber said. "If we start with a vaccine mandate, what's next?...Are they going to mandate a certain BMI percentage? You might agree with this mandate, but what's the next mandate you might not agree with? If you lay the foundation and set the precedent for the government to reach into your personal life, they will never go away."
Some workers, such as Erik Eimiller, declined to disclose their vaccination status to WBEN. He said Monday's walkout was not about the vaccine itself.
"I want the vaccine available for people," he said. "I don't want to be forced to take it and I don't think anybody should be forced to take it."
Related
Employees at Moog we spoke with said they love their job but would be willing to lose their job over the mandate, which they feel intrudes on their personal freedoms.
"I love this job so much," Eimiller said. "I worked in a different field for 14 years. I always wanted to work here and finally got in. It's the best job I ever had by a long shot. I'm here to fight for my job, but what I want to do is make sure my daughters don't have to fight the way I'm fighting for this today. This is for them...I'm not going to let them be forced into something they don't want to do by the federal government. That's tyranny...Don't comply. Stand up and fight."
Jim Bebak, an engineer at Moog, said he is not vaccinated and is fearful he will lose his job. However, he worries about the documented side effects and is hoping Moog can give him an exemption.
"I have a whole list of bullet items and I qualify for every exemption they're offering and more," Bebak said. "I've been having my antibody test done to make sure I am protected. I've done it twice so far, including last week, before the mandate even came out. I have very strong antibodies...It seems the federal government is afraid of unvaccinated people touching things that we're making for fighter jets, for helicopters, for missile systems, is somehow going to affect them adversely."
Schieber said employees will walk out again on Tuesday afternoon. It's not known what repercussions, if any, the employees face by walking out of the job. They are not part of a union and Schieber said he hopes they won't go on strike. Over the long term, Schieber said they hope a lawsuit against the federal government will lead to a change in the policy. He also hopes federal legislation will pass that will prevent a future president from mandating a vaccine in the workplace.
"Once you set that precedent, it never stops," Schieber said.
