Chicago Police Union ‘100% against’ vaccine warrant for officers: ‘Hell, no’



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After Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said all city workers “absolutely” should be vaccinated, the main police union pledged to take legal action if such a warrant was announced.

“We are 100% against mandatory vaccines for our members,” Chicago Fraternal Order of Police chairman John Catanzara, whose union represents grassroots police officers, said in a statement to Fox 32.

“This vaccine has no studies on side effects or long-term consequences. None,” he continued in a similar statement to the Chicago Sun Times on Tuesday. “Asking anyone to get this vaccine, without that data as a baseline, among other issues, is ‘hell no’ for us. “

Negotiations over the details of a vaccine mandate are underway with several unions, and Lightfoot has not announced when the requirement for some 33,000 city workers will go into effect.

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Lightfoot expressed support for a “vaccine mandate” for city workers when asked at a press conference on Monday just hours after the FDA granted full approval for the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer for persons 16 years of age and over, beyond its emergency clearance stage. The FDA has said the companies are committed to conducting post-market safety studies.

“City workers absolutely need to be vaccinated,” Lightfoot said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “We are working on these discussions which have now been going on for a few weeks with our colleagues from the unions who represent the employees of the city.”

“But we absolutely have to have a vaccine mandate,” she continued. “This is for the safety of everyone involved, especially members of the public who interact with city employees on a daily basis. It is important that coworkers also feel like they have a safe workplace. , a vaccine mandate from the city will come, and we will make specific announcements in the coming days. “

Chicago reissued its indoor mask mandate on Friday. Cook County followed suit on Monday.

It also comes after Cook County Council Chairman Toni Preckwinkle issued an executive order on Friday requiring all county employees to be vaccinated by October 15. Chicago Public School employees also have until Oct. 15 to get vaccinated, unless they qualify for a religious or medical exemption.

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In New York City, all city employees will be required to show proof of vaccination or undergo weekly COVID testing in mid-September. Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcements in July.

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