Air New Zealand employees challenge Covid vaccination policy

Thirty-three employees of Air New Zealand are in a legal battle over the company's Covid-19 vaccination policy. The hearing began on Monday in Auckland and will last six days. Captain Leif Fredricsen, an Airbus pilot, is one of the plaintiffs. He refused the Pfizer vaccine in 2021 and was put on paid leave in January 2022. He later went on unpaid leave starting in February 2022. Fredricsen received the Novavax vaccine and returned to work in April 2023. Fredricsen expressed his concerns about the Pfizer vaccine, which was the only one available in New Zealand at the time. He felt there were risks in trying a new product and noted that the vaccine was developed for the Alpha variant, not later mutations. He criticized Air New Zealand's strict vaccination policy, saying it prioritized business needs over employee safety. He felt pressured by the company's rules, stating that it seemed his job would be at risk if he did not comply. However, Air New Zealand's lawyer, Peter Kiely, argued that Fredricsen's employment was never terminated. Kiely also mentioned that many employees, including pilots, lost their jobs during the pandemic due to redundancies.