Dear Baker Hughes,
Last week, despite the Supreme Court ruling that the OSHA mandates were unconstitutional- and specifically- not a workplace risk: "Although COVID– 19 is a risk that occurs in many workplaces, it is not an occupational hazard in most. COVID–19 can and does spread at home, in schools, during sporting events, and everywhere else that people gather. That kind of universal risk is no different from the day-to-day dangers that all face from crime, air pollution, or any number of communicable diseases.” And yet, as a company you have elected to maintain the mandate for your US based employees. Further, you are charging the unvaccinated a $100/mo administrative fee for the benefit. Your actions beg some obvious questions.
1. Have you put your employees on a meal plan? Obesity, smoking and alcohol all have significant long term health impacts. Heart disease killed 700k Americans. Cancer 600k and accidents killed another 200k. What policies have you put in place here?
2. I assume that you have added to your MSA that you will not work with any companies that have not implemented a vaccine mandate. As you said in your letter to employees “you strongly believe that vaccination coupled with prevention is the best protection from the virus.” Clearly, you feel so strongly about this that you will put your money where your mouth is.
3. Not to be nitpicky, but you do know that the vaccinated can catch and spread COVID and carry the same viral load as an unvaccinated person. This makes your testing and administration policy discriminatory and punitive.
4. What say you about natural immunity? Studies out of Israel suggest natural immunity is more protective than the vaccine. Exemptions?
5. Especially when it comes to Omicron, below is a study out of California Kaiser Permanente and Ontario that shows the waning efficacy. Given this, I assume you will be implementing a policy that if an employee is not boosted, they are no longer vaccinated?
You have made this choice on behalf of your employees. Employees that through their creativity, hard work, and decision making have made Baker Hughes what it is today. Everyone on the planet knows what they need to know to make an informed decision about COVID. Their choices to protect, to vaccinate, and to live with it are what makes a diverse and inclusive workforce. Shame on you for imposing your political views on your employees in the face of clear questions around efficacy and long term health effects. Even GE dropped their vaccination mandate.
I hope you see this, reflect and change the policy. You will be proven wrong in the long term and create tremendous animosity amongst your employees. They will call in sick, undermine your operations, and hope for your failure. Hospitals and airlines have already seen the passive resistance. You will, too. That will lower your quality of service and see customers use other vendors. But, you do have the right to do as you see fit. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Love and hugs,
DRW
Great post! And they likewise probably haven't thought about the higher cost of insurance for vaccinated workers, due to the greater likelihood for serious, long-term health problems the vaccinated will experience. OneAmerica's recent announcement is just the start.
Baker Hughes: First, "green washing"; now, "clot vaccine washing."