Posted on 10/20/2021 5:50:31 PM PDT by ransomnote
About a third of Chicago Police Department, almost 3000 officers defied the illegal vaccine mandate as it enters its first full week in effect resulting in a stalemate.
The back and forth between the mayor and the Chicago police union continues, with the city sending out a flurry of emails and memos as its vaccine mandate enters its first full week in effect.
CBS 2’s Mugo Odigwe obtained the latest threatening memo sent out to officers.
At least two memos have gone out since Friday’s deadline for all city workers to report their vaccination status to the city, but Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said thousands of officers are still refusing to do so.
“The unofficial number we have is about over 3,200; so about of third of the department,” Catanzara said.
Catanzara has said the mandate is illegal, because the city didn’t negotiate terms with the union.
He said officers who are still refusing to report their vaccination status will be called in by supervisors on Monday, and once again will be asked to comply with the mandate.
“If they refuse, it sounds like they’re going to go into a no pay status, effective immediately,” Catanzara said.
He said the dispute with the Lightfoot administration is no longer about the vaccine, or personal beliefs, but collective bargaining rights.
“All of those things are a change in your employment policies. You have to negotiate with us what that looks like. The city has refused to do that,” Catanzara said.
Two memos have been sent out since Friday.
The latest, from Sunday, involves consequences officers could face if they don’t follow the city of Chicago’s vaccination policy.
Any such officers will become a subject of a disciplinary investigation that could “result in a penalty up to and including separation from the Chicago Police Department.”
The memo goes on to say that “sworn members of the department who retire while under an investigation may be denied retirement credentials.”
On Saturday, a different memo went out, saying days off now require approval from a deputy chief or above.
CPD hasn’t said if this is related to the ongoing tension between the police union and Mayor Lori Lightfoot over the city’s vaccine mandate, but as of now, the union is not budging.
“Our moniker all week has been hold the line, for a reason,” Catanzara said.
The union has sued the city over the mandate, seeking to force the city to engage in arbitration.
Basically, Catanzara said both sides are at a stalemate.
Recently, reporter Allison Williams left ESPN over COVID-19 vaccine mandate, saying “I am so morally and ethically not aligned with this.”
Meanwhile, a Senior Australian Police Sergeant quit her job after refusing to enforce Orwellian COVID rules.
Wearing her dark-blue uniform in a bombshell interview she revealed that she had been “troubled” by how police resources have been applied during the pandemic by state authorities.
However, a small but significant victory was achieved Wednesday when the French Senate rejacted a socialist senator’s proposal to make the COVID experimental vaccine mandatory for all citizens living in France. Non-compliance would trigger a fine of 135 euro (about $150 USD), and 1,500 euro for re-offenders.
It’s so easy for people to sit behind a keyboard and say these officers should continue to middle-finger the major. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes. Loss of employment. Loss of retirement benefits. So easy. Not.
*mayor
No way they can legally deny the earned retirement benefits....not unless they want to encounter complications.
Aren’t big city LEO unions typically very powerful?
Time for them to flex some muscle.
How is a crime ridden Chicago going to do with 1/3 fewer police officers?
Are retirement credentials the same as retirement benefits?
Longer response times, no response to property crimes.
I expect the union leaders have a good idea of what is in their collective bargaining agreement. This will probably go to court before anyone is fired or denied retirement. Still, an interesting turn of events that the Democrats are now fighting unions.
I got another ominous vax email from HR this morning - it appears I have not checked the “Vax” box on the HR website. Sad.
I would not be so sure about that. If no one is fired or denied retirement then no one can complain about those issues. As soon as she fires someone then they have standing and off to court we go. The fish is about to walk into a buzz saw with her eyes open.
They will blame freedom(2A) as they usually do.
“No way they can legally deny the earned
retirement benefits”
Agreed.
That's why people need to challenge the mandate on the grounds that it violates their right to informed consent and the option to refuse the vaccine, according to the terms of the EUA for the vaccines.
This way, they don't have to first take the vaccine, they can challenge the coercive nature of forcing them to agree on the consent form to take the vaccine or lose their income, benefits, and ability to support their families.
Consent under duress is not consent under the law. Forcing people to take an unapproved drug that is still under Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA violates the informed consent clause of the law.
-PJ
The mayor is an attorney. She know all that. She just does not care.
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