Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara shakes hands with union members and supporters during a rally against the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Chicago police union vaccine mandate dispute: Latest reporting on deadlines and lawsuits

In August, Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced a mandate under which all city employees, including police officers, are required to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Here’s all of the Sun-Times’ latest reporting on the city’s dispute with the Fraternal Order of Police over the mandate.

By Katelyn Haas | November 1, 2021 at 1:58 PM

Since Mayor Lori Lightfoot mandated in August that all city employees would be required to report their vaccination status by an Oct. 15 deadline, the city and the unions that represent Chicago police officers and officials have been in dispute over aspects of that policy.

On Monday, a Cook County judge effectively sent the two sides back to the bargaining table to resolve their issues, but also told the city it can’t require officers to get vaccinated by the end of the year. The ruling only applies to the police unions.

The unions had sought a temporary restraining order to stop the city from enforcing its order requiring all city workers to share their vaccination status on an online portal and submit to testing if they are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Below, you’ll find all of the Sun-Times’ reporting on the vaccine mandate dispute between City Hall and the police unions.

26 Total Updates Since
August 06, 2021 07:04 PM

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October 20, 2021 05:55 PM

City asks judge to extend order silencing police union president and broaden it to include other union leaders

By Mitch Dudek

The move comes after a top police union deputy likened the city’s effort to enforce its vaccine mandate on noncompliant officers to the “The Hunger Games.”
October 19, 2021 06:48 PM

21 Chicago cops in no-pay status after refusing to tell city if they are vaccinated

By Clare Spaulding

Of the 67.7% of police officers and civilians entered into the city’s online health portal, 82% are vaccinated, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said Tuesday.
October 18, 2021 08:06 PM

Compliance with COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers worst among police, firefighters

By Fran Spielman and Mitch Dudek

Out of 12,770 CPD employees, 4,543 had failed to report their vaccine status by the midnight Friday deadline. On Monday, employees who have defied the mandate were being called in by their supervisors and given one last chance to report their vaccine status on the city’s portal.
October 16, 2021 11:03 AM

CPD restricts time off for officers as union fights Lightfoot on COVID-19 vaccination reporting mandate

By Mitchell Armentrout

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president John Catanzara has said about half the city’s officers could defy the mandate, which went into effect Saturday.
October 15, 2021 07:46 PM

Judge orders FOP president not make any public comments on city’s vaccine policy

By Fran Spielman

A judge on Friday ordered Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara to stop using social media platforms to urge his members to defy the city’s mandate to enter their vaccine status on the city’s data portal.
October 14, 2021 07:46 PM

Lightfoot blinks — sort of — on vaccine mandate

By Fran Spielman

The mayor still plans to enforce Friday’s deadline for city workers to disclose their vaccination status, apply for exemptions and agree to testing if they aren’t vaccinated. But no one will be sent home immediately, even if they defy the mandate.
October 13, 2021 05:50 PM

Lightfoot, police unions continue high-stakes game of chicken on vaccine mandate for city workers

By Fran Spielman and Frank Main

The mayor says Chicago will be protected this weekend, even if half of the city’s police force is placed on no-pay status for refusing to report their vaccine status. One City Council member, however, predicted “pure melee.”
October 12, 2021 09:41 PM

FOP president urges police officers to ignore city mandate to report vaccination status — predicts 50% cut in cops on street

By Clare Spaulding

FOP President John Catanzara instructed rank-and-file officers to report to work Friday and be sent home for not having reported their vaccine status. Asked to respond, a mayoral spokesperson said they would have “no statement.”
October 01, 2021 04:10 PM

FOP tells members there will be a testing option for police officers who are not vaccinated

By Fran Spielman

Mayor Lori Lightfoot was less definitive about the testing option, saying she is “still in the midst of discussions” with organized labor.
September 22, 2021 06:10 PM

Despite united opposition from police unions, Lightfoot won’t budge from Oct. 15 vaccine mandate for city workers

By Fran Spielman

“The deadline is not gonna be pushed back,” the mayor said Wednesday. “We are not gonna retreat from that because the only way that we can create a safe workplace is by getting people vaccinated.”