KOHLER, WI (WTAQ) – A rally is set for Friday afternoon as some Kohler Company employees reportedly plan to walk out as a statement against the company’s vaccine mandate.
The company announced a requirement on September 29th for all associates to be vaccinated. While employees represented by UAW local 833 aren’t being required to comply right now – they believe Kohler is looking to change that.
Brooke Doyle is working with the rally, and says friends who work at Kohler simply want to stand up against what they call an unconstitutional mandate.
“[It’s] not a rally against the vaccine itself necessarily, but it is about having the choice to choose for one’s medical freedom,” Doyle told WTAQ News. “This is not even just about Kohler. This is about the fact that there are people and employees stepping up and fighting for their medical freedom rights…this is an opportunity to help validate and give people the courage to stand for what is important to them and their own values with their families.”
Doyle expects hundreds, if not over a thousand people to attend the rally, which she emphasized will be a peaceful protest. She claims they have nearly as many vaccinated supporters as unvaccinated.
“There is an incredible amount of frustration, with people that were vaccinated, that are so frustrated about it. Then the other side of it is the people who are unvaccinated, how fearful and scared they are,” Doyle said. “People are saying: ‘Thank you so much. I was afraid that I was the only one. I’m so afraid that I’m alone.’ These are direct quotes from people.”
Doyle hopes the rally makes a statement for Kohler and other major employers in the area to take notice.
“Kohler proactively made this decision, even though they didn’t have to. All eyes are on Kohler. All of the big companies are watching them. So unfortunately, there’s an incredible amount of backlash,” Doyle said. “Where are the companies supporting the employees that have built these companies?”
You can learn more about the rally on Facebook.
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