Originally published April 24, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
In a Wednesday ruling, Illinois Administrative Law Judge Anna Hamburg-Gal stated that the city of Chicago must rehire and reimburse lost wages to unionized city workers who were terminated or disciplined for not adhering to COVID-19 vaccination requirements, according to a report from Fox News.
The judge, representing the Illinois Labor Relations Board, asserted that the city “failed and refused” to negotiate in good faith with union representatives regarding the “effects of its decision to implement a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.”
Her decision requires the city to “make whole” negatively affected workers, The Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The ruling affects Chicago city employees in various job categories, such as carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, and machinists.
Affected workers are entitled to receive their lost wages and benefits, along with a 7% annual interest.
In October 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that all city employees must be fully vaccinated, warning that there would be “consequences” for those who did not comply by the deadline.
“Employees who fail to report their vaccination status by October 15, 2021, will be placed in a non-disciplinary, no pay status,” an announcement read at the time.
The vaccination mandate was met with strong opposition from workers, with some even booing Mayor Lightfoot during a union fundraiser event in the same month.
Union representatives applauded the recent ruling, American Federation of State spokesman Anders Lindall saying, “We think it’s a strong decision and favorable for worker rights generally.”
“At issue in this case is whether an employer has an obligation to bargain over significant changes to terms and conditions of employment,” the spokesman added.
However, the mayor’s office criticized the decision, one representative claiming that “[t]he record before the Administrative Law Judge tells a completely different story. Yesterday’s ruling was an erroneous decision that does not follow the law, facts nor importantly the science. We are currently reviewing the ruling and evaluating next steps.”
Mayor Lightfoot’s term will conclude on May 15, making her the first Chicago mayor in 40 years not to be re-elected, as high crime rates during her tenure appeared to play a significant role in voters’ decision to replace her, Fox notes.
