Clothing brand Carhartt in conservative crosshairs for issuing vaccine directive
Carhartt, the Michigan-based workwear company, is facing a wave of conservative backlash after its CEO announced that it will keep its vaccination mandate, despite a recent supreme court decision to block a federal mandate that would require businesses with over 100 employees to get vaccinated or take weekly Covid-19 tests.
In an email sent to employees last Friday, Mark Valade said that Covid-19 vaccinations remain mandatory. “We put workplace safety at the very top of our priority list and the supreme court’s recent ruling doesn’t impact that core value,” Valade wrote.
“We, and the medical community, continue to believe vaccines are necessary to ensure a safe working environment for every associate and even perhaps their households. While we appreciate that there may be differing views, workplace safety is an area where we and the union that represents our associates cannot compromise,” Valade added.
“An unvaccinated workforce is both a people and a business risk that our company is unwilling to take.”
Since Valade’s email, conservative pundits and social media users have criticized Carhartt, prompting the #BoycottCarhartt hashtag to trend nationally on Twitter.
Matthew Kolken, an immigration lawyer tweeted, “Ironic that Carhartt is mandating vaccination for their employees considering that the company outsources production to China. #BoycottCarhartt.”
Elijah Schaffer, a host on the right-wing outlet the Blaze, tweeted, “Wow @Carhartt is subjecting their employees to medical abuse. Very bad look. Definitely should stop buying their products if you do.”
“Never ever buy @Carhartt products again,” wrote Sebastian Gorka, a conservative and controversial former aide to president Donald Trump’s deputy assistant.
Others came to the
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