Cook Country Circuit Court Judge Raymond Mitchell has put a temporary block on a planned vax mandate for Chicago police officers.
The judge said the local government could not enforce the mandate without first consulting with police unions.
‘The effect of this order is to send these parties back to the bargaining table and to promote labor peace by allowing them to pursue the remedies provided for in the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act,’ said Judge Mitchell. Enforcing the mandate before arbitration would be illegal and constitute ‘irreparable injury’ because there was no way to ‘undo’ vaccination.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot appeared undeterred by the ruling, ‘the mandate continues,’ she said.
‘If you look at what’s happening in court cases all across the country, whether it’s fire and police or others that are challenging these mandates, I’m not aware of a single instance in which a mandate put in place has been invalidated.’
Thirty-two police officers have been placed on leave without pay for failing to report their vaccination status by 15 October.
