Chicago firefighters ordered to comply with vaccine mandate

CHICAGO (AP) — An arbitrator has ruled that several unions representing Chicago firefighters and other city employees must follow Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. The ruling issued Wednesday means the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 and some other unions means that union employees will lose pay if they do not receive the first shot by Dec. 31. They have until Jan. 31 to get the second if they chose a two-dose vaccine. The ruling does not apply to members of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, which has been engaged in a bitter battle with the mayor over the mandate. A judge has sent that dispute to arbitration that is scheduled to start Dec. 27.