* Press release…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced that, effective October 15, 2021, the City of Chicago will require all City employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, joining many other major municipalities and government agencies in taking this important preventive step. While masking and social distancing requirements in the workplace remain, the best protection against COVID-19 is vaccination.
“As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, we must take every step necessary and at our disposal to keep everyone in our city safe and healthy,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Getting vaccinated has been proven to be the best way to achieve that and make it possible to recover from this devastating pandemic. And so, we have decided to join other municipalities and government agencies across the nation, including the U.S. military, who are making this decision to protect the people who are keeping our cities and country moving. We have also been in close communication with our partners in the labor movement to create a vaccination policy that is workable, fair and effective,”
“Fully vaccinated” means two weeks past the second dose of a two-dose mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna) or two weeks past a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Employees will be asked to submit their proof of vaccination via a secure, online COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.
“We have worked closely with our partners to ensure that the reporting system is secure, effective, and confidential,” said Commissioner Christopher Owen, Chicago Department of Human Resources. “Human resource leads within every City department are prepared and available to assist employees through this process and answer their questions.”
This policy applies to all City employees and volunteers. Employees can apply for medical or religious exemption from this policy. Such requests will be reviewed by the Department of Human Resources on a case-by-case basis.
“The data shows that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those you come in contact with from serious illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “Adopting and implementing this requirement is the responsible, common-sense approach, which is why we’re seeing so many other government agencies, companies, institutions, and organizations pursue this course of action.”
More than 70 percent (more than 1.6 million) of Chicago residents over 18 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, health care offices, and through special events across the City at no cost to the public. No insurance or government ID are required to receive a vaccination. To learn more, visit Chicago.gov/COVIDvax or call 312-746-4835.
The FOP is about to flip its lid. But, whatever.
Your move, Gov. Pritzker.
*** UPDATE 1 *** CFL sides with anti-vaxer union members…
Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter released the following statement regarding the announcement of a vaccine mandate for City of Chicago workers:
“City of Chicago and other public employees have been sacrificing their health from the very beginning of this crisis, putting their own safety on the line to keep this city moving. The Chicago labor movement has worked tirelessly to protect these heroic workers, from fighting for proper safety procedures to holding vaccination clinics for thousands of union members that were hailed as a ‘model for the country’ by Vice President Kamala Harris.
“We believe in the benefits of vaccination to help protect workers and residents, but we do not believe punitive mandates are the right path to significantly increase vaccine uptake. In fact, we believe this announcement may harden opposition to the vaccine instead of protecting the workers who have sacrificed so much over the past 18 months. We are still in very preliminary discussions with the city about a proposed vaccination policy and we hope this process can be resolved through policymaking, not public communications. However, any discussion around a vaccine policy should include not only medical and religious exemptions, but also testing alternatives as we continue to build trust around the benefits of voluntary vaccination.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara in the Sun-Times…
“This has literally lit a bomb underneath the membership. They’re more engaged in this than they were even in the contract. And what are they gonna do when four or five thousand coppers say, ‘Screw you. I’m staying home. You’re not making me get this f—ing vaccination. Don’t pay me. That’s fine. We’ll see you in court.’”
Catanzara said he’s not threatening a blue-flu style protest. He claims the city is literally talking about “putting people on no-pay status who refuse to get” the vaccination.
“You’re not gonna pay me. You’re gonna make me stay home. But you’re gonna have thousands of coppers willing to stay home, not getting paid to not get a vaccine and then, what are you gonna do for manpower on the streets?” he said.
“They’ll be drowning in the creek. They won’t just be up a creek. They’ll be sinking in the creek.” […]
“We’re in America, G-ddamn it. We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. This ain’t Nazi f—ing Germany, [where they say], ‘Step into the f—ing showers. The pills won’t hurt you.’ What the f–k?” he said.
*** UPDATE 3 *** CFL President Reiter called and said he took umbrage with my characterization of his statement. From our conversation…
We believe in vaccines. We’re very clear in our statement. We are saying we have to negotiate a policy with the city. And we believe that testing should be provided as an alternative as we educate people more on the vaccine because government intervention in a punitive way could set us back as we look to get people vaccinated going forward and getting booster shots. … And the way to build trust and confidence is not to announce a mandate on anything before we’ve had an opportunity to work through what the policy actually is. We’ve barely sat down with the city to move forward with this. So we are still at the beginning of this. I don’t think it’s fair to put us in the same category as other people that are rejecting the advocacy of vaccines.
I stand by my remark.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:08 pm:
Good move by Lightfoot.
Any FOP members not wanting to get vaccinated, you can be a cop somewhere else I suppose.
The governor had Lightfoot beat him to this… considering how deep southern Illinois is at the moment I wonder aloud what is the delay… AFSCME?
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:10 pm:
Another reason for me, an middle aged, college educated, white woman, to not trust the police. I hope they’re proud of themselves.
- Benniefly2 - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:18 pm:
Perhaps I missed it, but did they say what would happen to employees who miss the deadline? Fired on Oct 16 en masse? Fined en masse? Just get a severe talking to? Suspended with pay? Without pay? I haven’t seen it in any story so far
- Pana Panther - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:22 pm:
“Another reason for me, an middle aged, college educated, white woman, to not trust the police”
so if you get mugged you will handle it yourself?
- Paddyrollingstone - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:24 pm:
I am old enough to remember when an endorsement by the FOP was a good thing in politics (we are probably all old enough to remember) but for someone like me who tries extremely hard to be intelligently supportive of the CPD, they are now beyond embarrassing. (sorry for the run-on sentence)
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:27 pm:
I guess I’ll have to, since the police aren’t interested in my safety.
- AC - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:29 pm:
Covid is the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of our time, the top killer of law enforcement both this year and the prior year. Labor leaders need to brush up on their history of advocacy for workplace safety. Then there’s the issue of interacting with the public, something like a routine traffic stop is stressful enough without adding concern over a contagious disease.
- Anoni - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:37 pm:
Anonymous — there is a citywide mask mandate already in effect.
I wonder if Lightfoot negotiated with they City’s AFSCME local to arrive at this requirement.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:42 pm:
I’m union born of decades of union members and activists. I’m ashamed of these unions. science works. use it.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:44 pm:
===so if you get mugged you will handle it yourself? ===
Is this supposed to be a TV trope where the cop immediately chases down the mugger and apprehends them instead of showing up two hours after the mugging to take a report?
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:47 pm:
=== The FOP is about to flip its lid. ===
When their “lid” is a political arsonist like John Cantanzara, that lid has been flipped for a while now.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:47 pm:
==you can be a cop somewhere else I suppose==
And an electrician, bus driver, plumber, assembly foreman, crane operator, carpenter, hotel maid, truck driver…
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:48 pm:
Not at all surprised that Mayor Lightfoot is ahead of Pritzker on this.
She has always been the leader who not only talks the talk but walks the the walk.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:49 pm:
Candy Dogood…for the reality.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
=== However, any discussion around a vaccine policy should include not only medical and religious exemptions, but also testing alternatives ===
Test alternatives are a no go for me, since you can already be spreading the virus, while waiting for your results. Pfizer’s been fully approved by the CDC. Take it post haste, or find another job.
- Chicago Rez - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:53 pm:
I wonder if these union organizations are going to now be called right wing extremist now that many are opposing vax mandates…or does that only matter when they are conservative organizations
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:54 pm:
==or does that only matter when they are conservative organizations==
Another victim heard from
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
“so if you get mugged you will handle it yourself?”
What exactly do you think the police do in response to a mugging?
– MrJM
- Pundent - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
=we believe this announcement may harden opposition to the vaccine instead of protecting the workers who have sacrificed so much over the past 18 months=
Possibly. But it’s also quite possible that this opposition has been allowed to grow because it carried no consequences. But if a union member is that strong in their anti-vaccine convictions there’s nothing that’s stopping them from finding a job that doesn’t require one. But those might become fewer and far between as we go forward.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:57 pm:
=== I wonder if these union organizations are going to now be called right wing extremist now that many are opposing vax mandates…or does that only matter when they are conservative organizations===
Either way, you can’t un-die… but please, make it about some silly talking point to mask the idea you can’t grasp necessity.
- Nick - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 12:57 pm:
This is putting Democrats in this state in an interesting position.
If you ever wanted brownie points for taking a minor stand against labor while working with them on most of everything else that’s important, here’s your moment.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:03 pm:
“so if you get mugged you will handle it yourself?”
If I get mugged in Chicago, they’ll take a statement and file it neatly in a drawer.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:05 pm:
==Not at all surprised that Mayor Lightfoot is ahead of Pritzker on this.==
Secretary White beat both the Mayor and Governor to this (mandatory vaccination for all employees).
- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:09 pm:
Here’s an idea for the unions. Pound your chest and grunt harrumph, harrumph and acquiesce to the mandate. In your brain, you know it’s the right thing to do. You just fear the Covidiots in your membership. I know you don’t have the courage to tell the membership to accept it and be quite, so pretend you tried and lost.
With the exception of FOP who loves the authoritarian thugishness of the GOP, general unions will not do well with the death cult GOP in control.
- Hannibal Lecter - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:10 pm:
It is just this mentality which has made it necessary to make the vaccines mandatory.
- The Way I See It - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:14 pm:
The only way that we are going to get to the end of the pandemic is to have employers all over say, enough of the BS. I don’t care about your research or your feelings. Get the shot or enjoy your freedom somewhere else.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:15 pm:
- We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. -
Oh, unless it’s literally anything a cop says, then you should be forced to do that.
Cop logic is top notch.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
sorry. anti-a hole
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
well the chicago police leader is into all the Trumper nonsense, so what say you cause your leader just told a crowd that he got the vax?
- Eastern Blox - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
FOP doesn’t surprise me, CFL does. Hats off to Mayor Lightfoot. Hopefully other cities do the same. The governor also really needs to go ahead and mandate vaccination for state employees as well. The anti-vaxx crowd won’t vote for him anyway so there’s really nothing to be lost by him doing so. Plus it will absolutely save lives!
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:18 pm:
EssentialState Employee
Good point.
In this time of Covid we need more leaders like Secretary of State White and Mayor Lightfoot who put our safety ahead of politics.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:19 pm:
Catanzara proves the point that ignorance of morality, science, history and civics is not helpful to the public’s interests.
I’d ask if he knew more cops have died from COVID over the last 1+ years than from violence. Sadly most of these deaths were preventable.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:20 pm:
Between CFL and FOP…
Your complaints will be DOA.
Vaccinate or “Get Out”
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:23 pm:
Everything these right wing snowflakes don’t want to abide by, they call Nazi. They are calling health promoting and life saving small pieces of cloth and vaccines a concentration camp. It seems actually like a safe way for them to express what they can’t say directly, to project it onto the people and rules they despise. Why would they keep using that word?
- Concerned Observer - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:23 pm:
@NIU Grad I was mugged on the Blue Line in 2008. Punk kids got me for $6 - yes, six.
Four weeks later I get a call from a detective. ‘We think we caught the guys, can you come identify’. And sure as hell, they did.
I’m totally in favor of mandatory vaccinations, and the FOP President is a dangerous nutjob, but I remain amazed at the work individual cops do.
(BTW, I got five copies of a restraining order mailed to me for my trouble, which has always amused me. If I ran into this random guy again was I supposed to wave a piece of paper in his face?)
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:24 pm:
If the FOP wants the type of representation they get from Catanzara, is it any wonder people don’t trust them? If the majority of members support his line of thinking, is that what we want in such a critical role?
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:24 pm:
- But you’re gonna have thousands of coppers willing to stay home, not getting paid -
Yeah, I’m sure thousands are willing to give up the only 6 figure salary they’ll ever have over this. If they do, well, the world needs plenty of bartenders.
- Banish Misfortune - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:25 pm:
It is clear cops don’t understand the process. We the people (though our representatives) make the laws, you the cops enforce compliance. For too long the cops have gotten the idea that they make the laws.
If you don’t want to follow the rules you are clearly not suited for law enforcement.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:26 pm:
Livid that Cantazara is using the Nazi and holocaust imagery. jerk.
- Anoni - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:26 pm:
His members care more about an approved, life-saving vaccine than a contract that gave them significant raises?
I, for one, think it’ll be great if they stay home — let’s see if they are really the supposed crime-stoppers they claim to be (they certainly aren’t crime-solvers), or if things are the same (or maybe even improve) in their absence.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:27 pm:
It’s time for sane cops to organize and decertify the FOP. Some of these clowns are giving all cops a bad name.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:33 pm:
==so if you get mugged you will handle it yourself? ==
Well, once she’s mugged, the police have already let her down, so…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
===And we believe that testing should be provided as an alternative===
Yeah. No…. NO.
The CFL in this position is NOT a serious labor organization dedicated to the protection, safety, welfare… or health… if it’s members.
That’s it.
“And we believe that testing should be provided as an alternative”
Nope.
- MikeMacD - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
Covid vaccination equals Zyklon B? Yeah, no. I don’t think so.
What a strange mentality.
- Rachel - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
Cops who are still “afraid” of the vaccine aren’t smart enough to be roaming the streets fully armed. They are already dangerous and now could possibly be diseased. In addition to being good public health policy, a vaccinate or leave rule might be a good way to weed out some of the really bad ones.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
Always so nice to hear the voice of reason from the FOP.
Here’s a tip to Cantazara and any politicians who want to compare events, other than genocide, to Nazi Germany - don’t. It’s highly offensive to Jewish people and deeply upsetting to those that actually understand history.
If Cantazara and the FOP want to align themselves with the Mary Miller’s and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s of the world with their rhetoric, they can’t be surprised when they lose the support and sympathy of the public they’re sworn to protect.
- Nazono Sakana - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
15 yard penalty for Godwin’s Law Infraction
- Been There - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:40 pm:
I am thinking Lightfoot and crew are getting better at negotiating. Instead of throwing your final offer out there at the beginning. My guess is they come up with some kind of compromise on the vaccine and getting tested. Heck, even Northwester Hospital’s requirement allows for that. They have a week in between tests which I think is too much so Lori has some more negotiating chits to use. Maybe offer the option to get tested a couple times a week but not on the clock.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:41 pm:
==as we educate people more on the vaccine==
How much more freaking education on the vaccine do we need? Education . . . safety . . . none of it is a valid excuse for waiting on getting vaccinated anymore.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:42 pm:
“Oh, unless it’s literally anything a cop says, then you should be forced to do that.” And you better do it fast too.
How’s this for an idea? Vaccinate a cop and then claim it was a case of mistaken identity.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:43 pm:
First, I believe in vaccines and we got the Moderna one … even though I have concerns about all of them.
I understand where the anti-vax people are coming from. IMO the whole thing has been mis-handled from day one, with many heavy handed edicts issued by fiat that, sometimes, had questionable legal value or constitutionality. They downplayed things from Day 1, including the (obvious if you were reading between the lines and reading international news) fact we would need to learn to live with it for the foreseeable future. I may have missed it, but I haven’t heard anyone come out and flat say we were wrong then and we’ve learned more now. So it’s no wonder that people don’t believe the latest constantly changing guidelines and rules.
And I understand the fears of losing out freedoms and rights … watching the actions of politicians the past year and a half, I share those fears.
Doubling down with more draconian actions isn’t going to persuade the anti-vax people. In fact, it just reinforces their beliefs about government.
The current approach isn’t working … need to find another, softer method.
- Downstate Dem - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:44 pm:
They will be so disappointed to know that anyone can be mandated to get vaccinated, let alone as a work requirement. Lol.
- Sterling - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:44 pm:
I’m as pro-Union as anyone else, but my worry is that unions have taken the “always deny the first offer” approach way too far. Not everything should be a negotiation, and the health of your members and the customers/constituents you serve is one of those times when it’s better to just keep your powder dry for the next fight instead of trying to “negotiate”.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:44 pm:
“We’ve barely sat down with the city to move forward with this.”
You had one job.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:47 pm:
“we do not believe punitive mandates”
But if you pay us to get it isn’t punitive anymore?
- dan l - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:47 pm:
Real talk: during the columbus statue incident, Cantanzara had clearly had a few too many. Is it possible that this diatribe was a result of some of the ol’ ignorant juice as well?
- Henry - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:50 pm:
The FOP - When the going gets tough, the tough stay home.
- Been There - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:51 pm:
====I’m as pro-Union as anyone else, but my worry is that unions have taken the “always deny the first offer” approach way too far. =====
I disagree. I think the city can do what one of the biggest hospitals in the state is doing. Give them a choice of vaccine or testing. I think this is the city negotiating.
- Occasionally Moderated - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:52 pm:
I am a member of a different F.O.P. Lodge.
I want everyone here to know several things:
Catanzara repulses me and every other F.O.P. member I know. What an embarrassment to our embattled profession.
Next, I have unfriended every knucklehead that has posted a meme with nazi imagery without fail. I always take a moment to explain to the poster why I did it. There have only been two but both were on the fringes of law enforcement. It disgusts me.
I am vaccinated and I believe most of the law enforcement officers I work with are too.
Last- I want you all to know that we are not all right wing maniacs. I have little hope of convincing anyone of this with Catanzara making us all look like lunatics.
CPD, get your act together. Not a good look.
- Christopher - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
The choice could be get vaccinated or pay a much large portion toward your health insurance - like Delta is doing to its staff. Delta says vaccinate or pay $200 more per month for coverage.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:02 pm:
– We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. –
Self awareness is not a skillset possessed by law enforcement, it would seem.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:04 pm:
===Doubling down with more draconian actions isn’t going to persuade the anti-vax people===
True anti-vaxers are a tiny minority. Pandering to them never works.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:07 pm:
I’m surprised Cartanzara’s comeback wasn’t “What’s next, telling us not to drink and drive?”
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-police-failed-in-eddie-johnson-drunk-driving-incident-oig-report-says-officers-suspended/2354987/
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
The biggest mistake now… “today”… after all this is playing out…
… is to be organized labor pandering to a very small anti-vax contingent that is dragging *your* labor organization away from its foundation.
This is a moment where what and who you are… as organized labor… can’t be incongruent to what your history has shown.
Yep. It *is* that big of a moment… this is arguably labor leaders ruining the mere idea of what organized labor was… and maybe what it will never be again.
I’ll look at these groups so differently now… when they harp on health and safety… because… going forward… I can’t see these groups as concerned actor to health and safety.
So… today… who are you…. FOP… CFL… AFSCME…
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:16 pm:
“We’re in America, G-ddamn it. We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period.”
This is the most ignorant statement ever. Your freedom isn’t freedom if it recklessly endangers others. You are forced to have liability insurance if you own a car. If you want a job, you need a jab. So kiss off and sit at home not getting paid. Nobody will miss you. Because with freedom, comes responsibility. But the childish continue to show us they can’t handle it.
- Nick - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
Catanzara comparing it to Nazi germany may have been the most predictable thing possible.
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
FOP - sounds like a great way to get rid of some bad cops - pretty sure there’s a correlation between those who would endanger public health with such a strident anti-vax stance and those who endanger public health by going rogue with brutality.
CFL - punitive works more than “education”, full stop. Don’t insult us by pretending otherwise.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:22 pm:
=The current approach isn’t working … need to find another, softer method.=
We’ve been trying the softer approach. We’ve been recommending vaccines for nearly 6 months now. We’ve had plenty of time to educate and overcome resistance. Those efforts have plateaued. The harder approach is what’s needed now. And even if that doesn’t persuade people it will help us get past this. If you can’t go to a restaurant, see a movie, or go to work without a vaccine, your chances of spreading the virus and/or contracting it will be a lower. And the goal here should now be to stop the spread through any means possible.
And as far as guidelines and rules changing, well that’s the problem with pandemics. They tend to be unpredictable. And that’s only exacerbated when a large number of folks refuse to follow guidelines and rules.
- unspun - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
Can’t help but wonder if the unions’ position is less about the policy—and more about the perception by their members as “caving”, and to what extent the outcome of the Janus case plays a role here.
- J - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
Nice city you got there…would be too bad if something happened to it…
- Nick Name - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
I’m an AFSCME member, and I think the unions, including my own, are acting shamefully. Unions should be leading the charge to vaccinate their members, just to protect their members in the workplace. Whatever happened the unions who backed workplace safety laws? I want those unions, not these whiners.
- Nick - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
Yes indeed nice city you got there
Would be too bad if… its public servants were vaccinated and not spreading disease.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 2:51 pm:
=== And I understand the fears of losing out freedoms and rights … watching the actions of politicians the past year and a half, I share those fears. ===
Sadly, I think you are listening to the wrong politicians. We have not lost the freedoms and rights we previously had. Those are the lies that have been fed by the right to enhance the political prospects. They have been effective lies that have cost lives, adverse health ramifications and damaged the economy. The pandemic continues because of resistance to rational public health measures.
The Washington small pox inoculation story has been repeated ad infinitum to explain our history of vaccines. Over a hundred years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld vaccine mandates. Your kids and my kids were required to be vaccinated to go to school. There were no assaults on teachers or vilifying public health officials, teachers and school personnel as we dutifully took our kids to the docs for their vaccinations. I could go on and on regarding government restrictions that are in place to protect the public.
Our poor pandemic response has been caused by politicians. These have mostly been GOP politicians seeking political gain on the bodies of so many Americans. A prime example is the Missouri AG who is running for the U.S. Senate by filing lawsuits challenging mask and vaccine mandates throughout the state. In 2014, this anti-mask/anti-vax crusader voted in Missouri legislature for a meningitis vaccine mandate. The only thing different now is that the GOP was lead by miscreant who wanted to downplay the pandemic to save his re-election. His sycophants ran with it from there.
=== Doubling down with more draconian actions isn’t going to persuade the anti-vax people. In fact, it just reinforces their beliefs about government. ===
Wrong. Even the courageous leaders trying to stop the pandemic have been playing too soft on the persuasion issue. They are met by anti-leaders who enact contravening measures for political cheers. Delta has been allowed to flourish because we have been too lenient. Mandates are required NOW.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:01 pm:
Thank you - Norseman -
That’s the type of comment that will stick with me for a very long time.
- Jibba - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:05 pm:
These people are absolute loons who are endangering me and mine with their antivaxx nonsense. Persuasion and negotiation are done. Mandates and punitive measures are needed yesterday.
- low level - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:14 pm:
You hit it out of the park, Norseman. Haven’t seen it put any better then that.
As for John C, “ They’re more engaged in this than they were even in the contract.” Really? I thought it was Foxx’s early release policy?
- James - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
I completely agree with the Mayor’s policy, but not with her style of announcing mandates that affect all employees without first notifying and, if necessary, meeting with the labor unions.
If you want cooperation and a team-approach, for any policy, you do the necessary work to get a buy-in from those who will be affected.
Her administration has taken to the top-down, orders from the boss approach, because she appears to lack the political skills to work with others or the interest in acquiring these skills.
- low level - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
== We don’t want to be forced to do anything.==
Like live in the city? Residency requirement? You agreed to that to get the job. Oops.
- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:40 pm:
Might be time for John Catanzara to Google, Reagan and PATCO.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:41 pm:
===Reagan and PATCO===
The comparison? Elaborate?
- Scott Cross for President - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 3:59 pm:
Norseman is my spirit animal.
Keep it coming, pal.
And to folks saying they’ll quit their job before they get vaccinated, kiss your unemployment claims good bye.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 5:11 pm:
Some companies are now increasing health care deductibles and costs for employees that don’t get vaccinated. Illinois and Chicago should do the same - $200 more per month to cover the increased health care costs from the doctor/hospital bills.
- Manchester - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 5:16 pm:
Dear FOP, take the shot or lose your job. Is that clear enough for you. End of discussion.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 25, 21 @ 7:10 pm:
There’s really no need to go over the FOP Prez’s awful and disparaging comparison.
He is not a good soul, he’s leading a union down the road of angry racist angst, and giving oxygen to him, besides acknowledging that the words he utters exists isn’t helpful, but not speaking against his words is almost enabling.
I am sickened by the remarks.
- 17% Solution - Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 6:28 am:
Cantanzara is a hypocrite.
He only cares about his police officers if he can use their deaths to bash political opponents.
If they die of covid, meh.
- Zim - Thursday, Aug 26, 21 @ 8:23 am:
It didn’t take long for the Godwin card to unsurprisingly be played.