Due to the recent COVID-19 surge, Nike, the shoe company, has decided to take the “activist” route by firing many unvaccinated employees starting January 15th. Nike sent an email to the unvaccinated workers saying, “You failed to complete the verification process and our records show that you do not have an approved (exemption), as a result, you are not in compliance with the Policy and your employment is scheduled to be terminated on Saturday, January 15, 2022.”

Many find this hypocritical as Nike allegedly makes their goods in sweatshops that use child labor in China. This makes it seem as if they only like to be a “woke” company when it benefits them. Another example is Kyrie Irving who is a Nike athlete. Kyrie Irving missed the start for the NBA 2021-22 season, because he refused to take the vaccine, meaning he could not play but now he is allowed to play, but not in New York games. But Kyrie is not an employee for Nike but if Nike really cared about the vaccine they would pull their sponsor from the Kyrie brand.

Companies like Citi Banking and Columbia have followed Nike’s initiative and have also opted to terminate employment statuses of unvaccinated workers. Nike already made the vaccine mandate for workers back in October and are trying to convert to a hybrid schedule after working from home for a long period of time, so firing the unvaccinated workers was most likely the first step. 

With this action, it is highly likely more companies will follow in the effort to fully vaccinate, and soon they will try and make a booster mandate. But right now, companies need labor as they are in a labor shortage which is causing inflation and stores to have empty shelves.