Washington D.C. – The leader of a trucking group is speaking out after a mega fleet announced it is requiring its truck drivers to take the COVID-19 vaccine or else.

Last week, the world’s second largest meat processor, Tyson Foods, said its 120,000 U.S. employees, including its more than 2,500 truck drivers, will be required to get vaccinated.

In a statement, Donnie King, president and CEO of Tyson, said it was a decision the Springdale, AR-company “did not take lightly.”

All company employees must provide proof of vaccination no later than November 21, 2021, or face possible dismissal.

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The backlash within the trucking community was swift and severe as more than 1,000 concerned Transportation Nation Network (TNN) members and readers sounded off about it on our Facebook page.

Read more about that HERE.

While major trucking groups and most industry media operations have remained silent on the emerging issue, the leader of the 15,000-member Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) has a message for drivers currently being, and could soon be, confronted with such a vaccine mandate.

“Your body. Your choice,” James Lamb, president of the SBTC told TNN after learning of Tyson’s mandate. “This is still America where you have the right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ No one has the right to bully or economically terrorize you into political submission.”

The outspoken Lamb also offered a bit more advice specifically to Tyson drivers who don’t want to take the “experimental COVID vaccine” and might be struggling with what to do next in their careers.

“The answer and path are clear. Get your own truck and operating authority,” he urged. “If you need help getting set up, join and call the SBTC.”

Other major corporations such as Amazon, Disney, Facebook and Google also recently issued similar mandates after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), last month, issued a Memorandum Opinion essentially clearing the way.

The DOJ contended that mandatory workplace vaccine policies are permissible under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act since the vaccine mandates are not coercive and employees can freely choose to receive or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine, but also admitted refusals could result in terminations.

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As for Lamb, he is far from alone in his concerns about trucking companies taking corporate America’s lead and imposing vaccination requirements.

A number of trucking stakeholders TNN has spoken with have also privately expressed consternation such mandates could push more drivers out of the workforce at a time when America and our economy need them most.

“It’s ugly and it’s going to keep getting worse,” one owner of a large trucking company told TNN last week after learning of Tyson’s announcement.

TransportationNation.com will continue to follow this issue closely.