Because… Madigan!
Thursday, Aug 26, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ILGOP…
Today, Politico did a great job outlining the team of Madigan loyalists and lawyers generally unknown to the public that are representing Democrat leaders - House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon - in their fight to preserve their politician-drawn redistricting map.
Shia Kapos at Politico…
“The legal team representing the Democratic-led General Assembly on the remap includes attorneys who have for years worked for the former House speaker.”
“Michael Kasper, the noted election lawyer and former general counsel to Madigan when he was speaker, is heading up the legal team.
“Other attorneys are Heather Wier Vaught, who was chief counsel to Madigan and represented him when his team was accused of ignoring sexual harassment claims. Adam Vaught, her husband, is also on the General Assembly’s legal team and has represented Madigan, too, including when the former speaker was sued for allegedly orchestrating sham political candidates. And Devon Bruce is with the well-connected Power Rogers law firm, which has donated to Madigan’s campaign fund.”
Madigan’s team has a long history of using the legal system to keep their leader’s iron-grip on power. Kasper was lead counsel and argued before the Illinois Supreme Court to strike down the 2016 Fair Maps citizen referendum. The 4-3 majority decision was written by Madigan’s Favorite Judge, Tom Kilbride, who Madigan spent millions to put on the Supreme Court, and the plaintiff in the case was John Hooker, former ComEd lobbyist who was indicted last November in the ongoing federal corruption probe.
The Madigan Machine is not dead - it’s leader is simply within the shadows. Why else would Mike Madigan’s top lawyers and longtime friends be the lead litigators for the House and Senate remap team? They’re protecting their investment as they’ve done for years.
ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler: “There could be a world where Mike Madigan and his remaining lieutenants do not infect every part of state government with their corrupt tentacles. But Illinois Democrats don’t want that world. Democrats are still loyal to the man who brought them into power and the people of Illinois suffer the consequences every day.”
* Something not mentioned in the above article, nor broached by the ILGOP in its press release is that the House Republicans are using Mayer Brown for legal counsel on the redistricting case. Mayer Brown was on the team that defended House Speaker Madigan in the lawsuit brought (and lost) by Jason Gonzalez.
Madigan was like McDonald’s. Just about everyone worked for him at some point.
…Adding… Good point from Rep. Walker in comments…
Only a few attorneys are experienced experts on Illinois laws regarding redistricting. If they were defending the Dems’ map ten years ago, who else would they be?
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* Press release…
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) has released the following statement regarding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reinstatement of a statewide indoor mask mandate:
“Retailers remain dedicated to the health and safety of employees, customers and our communities. We support the governor’s mask mandate as a measured approach that ensures shoppers continue to have access to needed goods, food and medicine with minimal disruption,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO of IRMA. “We ask all customers to abide by this public health order in a respectful manner. We strongly encourage local law enforcement agencies to promptly assist us in ensuring employees are not subjected to verbal and physical abuse as we have seen in the past and call on local health departments to enforce this order in uniform fashion. We must all work together to ensure the health and safety of our communities.”
Republican responses are here. This post will likely be updated.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Another one…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement regarding efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus:
“The scientific data is irrefutable: vaccines and mask wearing are safe and effective ways of slowing the spread of the deadly virus. These lifesaving vaccines were created by American manufacturers under federal oversight and are the best way to protect our communities and restore our economy,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “The IMA and our members across the state support vaccinations and mask wearing to slow the spread of this virus. We cannot cede the progress that has been made in restoring our nation’s health and economy.”
…Adding… I asked an IMA spokesperson if this means the group specifically supports the new mandates…
The statement speaks for itself, but to answer your question – Yes
*** UPDATE 2 *** HCCI…
The Health Care Council of Illinois (HCCI), representing over 300 skilled nursing facilities, 55,000 residents and 100,000 employees in Illinois, issued the following statement regarding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement today to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all healthcare workers, which HCCI called for earlier this week:
“We support Gov. Pritzker’s move to require all healthcare workers receive the COVID-19 vaccine and call on those implementing the Governor’s order to ensure that all segments of the industry are covered, including home and community-based services.
Operators of Illinois’ skilled nursing facilities have spent countless hours formulating plans to educate, encourage and collaborate with residents and staff to get vaccinated, from working one on one with unvaccinated employees, employing infectious disease experts to answer questions and concerns about the vaccine, and partnering with trusted community groups to deploy information campaigns about the importance of the vaccines.
With the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant, we recognized bolder action was necessary to protect the most vulnerable.
The vaccine is the most effective way to put an end to this pandemic. This mandate is a step in that direction.
We are committed to continuing to collaborate with our state leaders, regulatory agencies, unions, workers and community partners to identify the best strategies to keep our patients safe and healthy.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Press release…
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement regarding the statewide mask mandate:
“With COVID-19 cases rising across Chicago and the state of Illinois, we must do everything in our power to protect ourselves, those around us, and our path to economic recovery. Businesses are in a unique position to change the trajectory of this pandemic, which is why the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce has called on businesses to review and implement policies that require all employees be vaccinated before returning to the worksite, unless a valid health or religious reason is presented. Masks are an essential tool in preventing the spread of the virus, and we support the Governor’s indoor mask order as a common-sense way to help ensure businesses stay open and are able to get people back to work,” said Jack Lavin, president & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
*** UPDATE 4 *** IPHA…
Tom Hughes, Executive Director of the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), released the following statement on Thursday:
“As local health providers, we know that vaccinations and wearing a mask are two effective ways to help end this global pandemic. On behalf of the 88 certified local health departments our association represents, we strongly support the new mask and vaccination mandates issued by the governor today to help protect the health and safety of the people of Illinois against this highly transmissible COVID- 19 variant.
“Our state is facing a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, and are now straining the demands placed on hospitals, healthcare workers and those charged with protecting the public health, including members of our association. This new surge of cases and hospitalizations has resulted in just one ICU hospital bed available for a region of Illinois covering 20 counties, and more children being hospitalized for COVID-19 than in previous surges. These alarming facts show that something must be done immediately to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed and unable to care for new patients and to protect those that remain vulnerable.
“Members of our association has been on the frontline of protecting the public’s health since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. We strongly support these new mandates that will help save many lives across our state and prevent more hospitalizations. The vaccine is a safe and proven way to help end this pandemic and to prevent future mitigation efforts from being placed on regions in Illinois. We strongly encourage members of the public to support these efforts and get vaccinated to protect their health and stop the spread of COVID-19.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** IHA…
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association and the Illinois hospital community continue to urge all individuals, including hospital employees, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to safely protect themselves, their families and their communities against severe disease, long-term health consequences of infection and possible death.
COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective. The U.S. currently has the safest vaccine supply in its history. The nation’s long-standing vaccine safety system ensures that vaccines are tested and safe.
From the outset of the administration of these life-saving vaccines that began last December, hospitals across the state have been a critical source of vaccines for their patients, the public and communities.
Over the past few months, many hospitals and health systems in Illinois have put in place mandatory vaccination policies for their healthcare employees.
As the prevalence of infection from the Delta variant grows, vaccination is increasingly important to protect the public by mitigating the spread of this variant and preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
We believe the Governor’s vaccination requirement is another important tool to assist hospitals in their ongoing efforts to encourage vaccination of their staff as they work to address their local workforce needs while ensuring the health and safety of their employees, patients, and communities.
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* Press release…
Statement of AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch:
“AFSCME has been working steadily to encourage every union member and retiree to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their family and their community.
“In discussions around vaccine requirements with the state and other employers, we have urged exactly the kind of flexible, vaccinate-or-test requirement that Gov. Pritzker and teacher unions are announcing for Illinois teachers today. It is also the same vaccinate-or-test requirement that President Biden has made of federal employees.
“The Pritzker Administration should now work collaboratively with our union to develop a similar flexible approach for state employees.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Maybe Council 31 can do something about this sentiment at Fox Developmental Center in Dwight, where this sign was posted…
*** UPDATE 2 *** AFSCME Local 3605 president Kelley Beal’s Facebook page…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
This administration has worked – and continues to work – diligently to ensure there is a comprehensive testing regimen in state run congregate care facilities, but with unvaccinated employees transmitting the virus to vulnerable residents, it is clear that we must do more to protect our most vulnerable and those in our care and custody by requiring vaccination to prevent the spread of this deadly virus.
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* Letter to the governor from House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…
August 26, 2021
Governor J.B. Pritzker 207 State House
Springfield, II 62706
Governor Pritzker,
When your experts told you to lift your mask mandate back in May of this year, I too was ready for the pandemic to be over. When you started running election commercials declaring ‘mission accomplished’, I too was hopeful that the worst was behind us. I thought of all the residents of our state and country who lost their lives during the last year and a half, especially our heroes in the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, and prayed for them and their loved ones.
But when your commercial buy changed, now touting your words from over a year ago that you ‘would put the full weight of the state behind the pandemic response’, I remembered the 18 months of your go-it-alone attitude. This past year, you ran the length of the field with mandates and executive orders without the General Assembly.
That is why your phone call last night asking for suggestions on how to get this new wave of the pandemic under control was so unexpected. I would apologize for thinking you were being insincere with that call asking my advice, but immediately after hanging up, I received a breaking news update from the Chicago Sun-Times that you had, once again, laid out your plan without input.
You are willing to negotiate with your biggest supporters, the public sector unions, on the pandemic response, but still will not listen to the General Assembly or the residents of Illinois most impacted by your actions. I will reiterate my plea on our call yesterday to please make your experts available to the General Assembly so that we can examine their data and plans, review the results of your many previous mandates and together plot a course of action that will work. You have the authority to call for a Special Session of both Chambers to address this very critical issue, and I am imploring you to do so immediately .
Additionally, instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on secret lotteries and giveaways, direct that money to buying KN95 masks for children in schools that still cannot receive the vaccine. That would lift a financial burden on families while also providing real, tangible results.
Regards,
Jim Durkin
House Republican leader
82nd District
P.S. Your administration is still stalling our requests to receive documents about your Administration’s failures at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. The sooner those documents are turned over, the General Assembly can begin a thorough review of the repeated shortcomings that led to the deaths of 36 veterans and make the necessary adjustments to the state’s laws to ensure that history does not repeat itself.
Notice that he didn’t take a side on the actual mandates.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Pritzker was asked about this during today’s press conference…
I have always been available to the >eader for any calls that he wants to make with ideas, and to any other Republican legislator, Democratic legislator. And when the legislature talks to me I listen and I have asked for ideas from both sides of the aisle. People, as you recall, early on in COVID-19 in this pandemic, I worked with a Republican legislator to ultimately put in place a mask mandate for the state back in May. I continue to listen to try to adjust things and make them work for all parts of our state. […]
I’m always open to hearing formal input from the legislature and I think that he should go do whatever it is that he needs to do. They’re a co-equal branch of government, they should, what Republicans can call hearings and if they don’t, you know, if they want to invite Democrats to it they should and can if they don’t want to, they can still hold hearings. I’m sure you all will cover them. And, you know get ideas. I have asked all along here for any new ideas that anybody has about how to bring down the number of hospitalizations, how to bring down the spread of COVID, and I’ve listened when people have offered up those ideas.
Please pardon all transcription errors. Also, the GOP can’t call a special session.
…Adding… Press release…
Paul Schimpf, Republican candidate for Governor of Illinois, issued the following statement in response to Pritzker’s mask mandate issued today:
“JB Pritzker has lost all moral authority to lead on pandemic response by failing to follow the rules he set for others. If Democrats believe our current situation is so dire to require a mask mandate, they should take up the issue during their legislative session that is scheduled for August 31st. Absent legislative action, these executive edicts are yet another divisive act by a failed governor who believes he wields unlimited power.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Letter from the governor…
Leader Durkin,
I appreciate that as the leader of Illinois House Republicans, you support the real and tangible results of students wearing masks in schools. As you know, we have offered surgical masks to schools throughout the state over the course of the pandemic. I appreciate your request to additionally furnish KN95 masks to schools; my administration will immediately reach out to superintendents to inform them that KN95 masks are available at their request through our normal PPE distribution channels.
I will continue to do everything within my authority as governor to keep the people of our state safe, and as I have said many times, in addition to those necessary steps that doctors have recommended, I welcome any further ideas from you or members of your caucus.
I encourage you and members of your caucus to continue to bring ideas forward, and to propose legislation that would help save lives, end this pandemic and pass in the General Assembly.
…Adding… Gary Rabine…
Gary Rabine, candidate for Governor is issuing the following statement on the Governor’s latest act of authoritarianism in his statewide order demanding all employees at schools to get vaccinated and a new statewide indoor mask mandate.
“It is unconscionable that the Governor would mandate all school employees to be vaccinated. It is not the government’s role to make healthcare decisions for its citizens. This is a dictator-like government overreach, and it is one we, as a society, must stand up to adamantly oppose. School employees should not, as a condition of employment, be forced to be vaccinated. They as individuals should be free to make healthcare decisions for themselves.
Governor Pritzker, who comes from royalty-like wealth, seems to think the way to solve this problem is to play Chief Health Expert and King. We are not going to stop COVID-19 with authoritarian rules. People need to be free to make their own healthcare decisions. If you want to wear a mask – wear a mask. But forcing people to comply with these arbitrary rules is not accomplishing anything but stoking fear, anger and resentment.”
Individuals should be free to make healthcare decisions for themselves, but this is not about them. It’s about everyone around them, and those around them, and those around them, and…
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* Tribune…
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to double down Thursday on his efforts to deal with a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic’s delta variant as schools reopen by requiring all educators from kindergarten through college to be vaccinated.
Additionally, Pritzker plans to require a statewide mandate of masking of people age 2 and above in indoor locations, according to two sources familiar with the governor’s actions, as the variant has led to increasing hospitalizations among younger people and the unvaccinated, along with increasing reports of “breakthrough cases” among those who are vaccinated.
* Sun-Times…
The Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association, the two statewide teachers unions, welcomed the vaccine mandate to help “provide the greatest possible level of safety” for in-person school.
“The surge of COVID-19 cases in our state reminds us that this vaccine mandate is a public health imperative,” the unions said in a joint statement. “To implement it properly, widespread education and access to vaccines will be essential. For members who cannot, or will not, get vaccinated, we are glad to see the governor has implemented twice weekly COVID testing.”
The labor organizations said they would work with their locals to negotiate the terms and implementation of the mandate in districts, colleges and universities.
…Adding… Now that we have details, let’s move this conversation here
AFSCME discussion is here
Teachers here
GOP responses here
Other responses here
Comments on this post are now closed.
* Related…
* Two District 300 students hospitalized, 48 test positive for COVID-19
* GOP bans on school masks draw federal civil rights challenges: The legal challenges — filed separately in recent weeks against Texas, Florida and South Carolina — argue that those states‘ bans on universal masking in schools run afoul of federal anti-discrimination laws meant to protect children with disabilities.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 25, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. From the Sun-Times…
How about turning the James R. Thompson Center into a waterpark resort, complete with thrilling waterfalls? Or adding a conical spire to showcase 3D LED images? Maybe its glass skin could be tinted, with occupants controlling it for their comfort.
Those were among the proposals chosen as finalists in a competition for ideas to reuse the longtime hub for state government at 100 W. Randolph St. The distinctive product of the late architect Helmut Jahn and regarded by many as landmark-worthy is an asset the state wants to sell, raising the specter of its demolition.
Seven proposals for saving the 17-story building were named finalists Tuesday in a competition sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Center and the Chicago Architectural Club. A jury of leading experts in design and preservation chose the finalists from 59 entries. A winner will be announced Sept. 14.
Scott Kennedy’s tongue-in-cheek idea to convert the building into a water park was submitted as a proposal by David Rader, Jerry Johnson, Ryan Monteleagre and Matt Zelensek of Perkins & Will. And it’s now a finalist for the prize.
* I asked Kennedy for comment today…
I actually love that this has taken on an energy of its own. It’s outgrown me and that’s great.
…Adding… Here’s the thread that started it all…
* The Question: If by some miracle this becomes reality, what should the new water park be named?
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* From AFSCME Council 31…
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR AFSCME MEMBERS IN ILLINOIS STATE GOVERNMENT
RIGID VACCINE MANDATES WON’T WORK
Vaccinations are an essential tool in halting the spread of the coronavirus and our union has worked diligently to educate members about the importance of getting vaccinated to protect themselves, their families, and their co-workers. Thousands have already done so.
Oppose Rigid, Universal Mandate
However, we know there are union members who remain fearful of the COVID vaccine, as well as others who have medical contraindications or religious objections. That’s why AFSCME opposes rigid, universal vaccine mandates that effectively threaten employees with termination if they do not get vaccinated.
And that’s why our union is opposed to the plan Governor Pritzker recently put forth to mandate COVID vaccinations for all state employees who work in congregate facilities in DOC, DJJ, DHS, and DVA.
Employees in these facilities have been on the job daily since the onset of this pandemic, providing care for some of our state’s most severely disabled individuals and ailing veterans, as well as maintaining order and providing rehabilitative services in prisons and youth centers.
A punitive universal mandate only serves to undermine morale and heighten the stress of these already stressful jobs.
Bargaining Required
While the courts have consistently affirmed that employers have the right to mandate vaccinations (as they have done in the past to address other types of health threats), both private sector (NLRA) labor law, as well as state public employee labor laws (e.g. IPLRA), require employers to bargain over the impact (implementation) of such a decision.
In announcing this employee mandate earlier this month, Gov. Pritzker recognized the administration’s duty to bargain with unions representing state employees and quickly moved to initiate such negotiations with our union.
With a union bargaining team that includes all members of the Council 31 Executive Board who currently work in a state congregate facility, those negotiations are now underway.
A Better Path
Based on input from local union leaders from around the state, the AFSCME team pointed out to management that a key problem in controlling the spread of the virus is operational laxity in the administration of some of the congregate facilities: Too often safety protocols are neglected, testing is not rigorous, visitors are often not required to wear masks, and quarantines are frequently not put in place in the wake of exposure to the virus.
AFSCME argued that the State should work with the Union to address these unsafe conditions before turning to employee vaccination mandates. CMS responded that they are prepared to work cooperatively to address these safety problems, but they want to do so in conjunction with a mandatory vaccination program.
The union bargaining team has also pointed to the federal government and other state governments that have put more flexible forms of vaccination programs in place, such as providing for a strict testing regimen as an alternative for those who object to vaccinations.
In addition, we have expressed serious concern that if a significant number of employees are discharged as a result of this plan, understaffing in these agencies—which are finding it increasingly difficult to hire new employees—would be greatly exacerbated and overtime pressures on the remaining employees would grow.
Noting that it is now well documented that the Delta variant can also strike the vaccinated, as well as the unvaccinated, the Union is also urging that if the Employer is serious about combatting COVID in these settings, it should act immediately to restore the policy whereby employees who become sick with COVID—or are quarantined by the employer or a public health body—are granted paid time off rather than having to file workers’ compensation claims.
Bargaining Should “Freeze” Implementation
The governor’s plan sets October 4th as the deadline for employees to be fully vaccinated—and the relevant agencies have been notifying employees that they must get vaccinated in the next few weeks in order to be in compliance. That’s flat-out wrong. AFSCME has informed Management that pursuant to state labor law, the employer cannot proceed to implementation of its plan while negotiations are ongoing.
Standing Together
Our union will continue to push for flexibility rather than the rigid, universal vaccination plan that the State is now proposing for state employees. We take very seriously our obligation to safeguard the health and safety of union members, as well as the public they serve. Our actions have been—and will continue to be—guided by the conviction that encouragement and education, not punitive measures, are the best path forward in combatting the deadly coronavirus and its variants. Our best hope of achieving that goal is rooted in the grassroots solidarity that has long been the hallmark of our union.
Pandering of the worst sort.
*** UPDATE *** OK, let’s go through this a bit. First, a religious exemption is required under Supreme Court rulings, so AFSCME knows it will be in there. And federal law requires medical exemptions. Those are red herrings.
Second, who controls actual access to prisons and other congregate settings? Well, that would be AFSCME members. If they have a beef about visitors not wearing masks, then enforce the policy. Also, while testing is being performed pretty frequently right now, it could be ramped up more. But, really, this should go beyond testing, particularly in the veterans’ homes and homes for mentally and developmentally disabled. AFSCME should stop pandering to IDOC workers.
Third, unlimited extra paid time off for unvaccinated workers seems just bizarre to me. If you’ve got a legit exemption, fine. If you get a little sick after taking the shot, fine. If you have a breakthrough case and you’re sick, fine.
/rant
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* 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.
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