On Friday, workers with the Decatur location of United Launch Alliance had to comply with the federal vaccine mandate and show proof of vaccination by 3:30 p.m. or be let go.
Now we're hearing from a newly released employee who told us he is fighting back against the decision.
Hunter Creger walked WAAY-TV through his last day at work at ULA. He was protesting until the final cars left the building.
He told us the federal mandate on vaccines is a complete overreach.
"You're pushing people into a corner, and after going on two years of this pandemic, I think people have had enough," he said.
Creger worked at ULA until recently.Â
The federal vaccine mandate for contractors officially goes into effect Dec. 8, but ULA decided to start the mandate for their employees early. By end of business Friday, everyone had to have proof of their Covid-19 vaccine shot.Â
Creger told WAAY-TV he didn't want to be forced to vaccinated, and Wednesday was the last day he walked into work.
"I showed up for work, and they told me that I was not allowed to touch hardware until I had a meeting with (human resources)," Creger said. "During that meeting, they told me that I was suspended, pending an investigation."
We reached out to ULA in regards to Creger's employment status and haven't heard back yet, but he told us when others caught wind of what was happening, they wanted to protest.
So, Creger chose to defend his choice and call on others to do the same. Creger said the vaccine mandate offers too much of a hand in people's lives, and he will fight back until he doesn't have to anymore.
"This government is set up by the people, by the people, for the people, and I think that if you don't take back your rights now, those are rights that your children will never see," he said.
When asked if he had any medical and/or religious exemptions to the vaccine, Creger said he's Catholic. However, he added even if he wasn't, he still wouldn't agree with being forced to take the shot.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Alabama-based employers should be in favor of those employees with exemptions and that he is preparing a lawsuit to challenge this mandate soon.
