In 1918, 27% of the world’s population contracted the Spanish Flu. 3% of the world’s population, or 50 million people, died from it. Life ground to a halt. The economy stalled to a virtual standstill. Healthcare providers were among the hardest hit, as well as among the disease’s most prolific vectors. That was the result of pandemic when rail and ship were the fastest forms of transportation.
Now, extrapolate that forward to 2012, with ubiquitous air travel connecting all parts of the globe, and a much larger population, concentrated in much larger cities. A new pandemic would spread faster, and could potentially kill hundreds of millions, or even billions of people.
Unlike in 1918, such a pandemic might not just emerge from random mutation, but might be intentionally created as a terrorist weapon. Given the potentially devastating consequences, it is not unreasonable to make a flu vaccine a requirement for healthcare professionals, just like it is not unreasonable to make it a requirement of military service.
I've seen those movies, too...
Given that Baxter, a flu vaccine manufacturer, was caught ‘accidentally’ putting the live bird flu virus IN the vaccines for bird flu it would seem your logic might be a bit off? Plus, most manufacturers are now moving vaccine lines to China and India. China would never adulterate any of the consumer goods it sells. Never.
We were very lucky with the 2009 pandemic, in that it was a fairly mild virus and "only" about half a million people died. A flu as virulent as the 1918 flu would have been devastating.