FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2021
Contacts: Jake Lewis
312-394-0867
CHICAGO FEDERATION OF LABOR WELCOMES VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS TO NATION’S FIRST LABOR-RUN VACCINATION CLINIC FOR UNION MEMBERS
CHICAGO – The Chicago Federation of Labor released the following statement in response to Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to the Chicago Federation of Labor’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic:
“We are honored to welcome Vice President Kamala Harris to the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccination clinic run by the labor movement specifically for union members,” said CFL President Bob Reiter. “Thank you to Biden-Harris Administration for standing with union workers as we all work to overcome this devastating pandemic, and thank you to Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health for their partnership in this critical vaccination effort. I also want to give a special shoutout to the CFL Assistant to the President/Chief of Staff Nora Cay Ryan for conceptualizing and leading this effort, as well as the volunteers from the CFL, CFL Workforce and Community Initiative, HIRE360, and several affiliate unions for running this event. Roughly two-thirds of Chicago union members are people of color, and these union clinics will help ensure equity as vaccine distribution continues. Union members are the backbone of this city, keeping Chicago moving though this unimaginable crisis. We are proud to do our part to protect these workers.”
“We are proud to host Vice President Kamala Harris at the nation’s first vaccination clinic run by the labor movement for union members,” said CFL Assistant to the President/Chief of Staff Nora Cay Ryan. “Thank you to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health, IUOE Local 399, the Midwest Employee Benefits Fund Coalition, and Jewel-Osco for partnering with us to get this clinic up and running. This has been a true team effort that would not have been possible without our partners at the city of Chicago. Chicago’s union workers are second to none, and we are proud to lead the way in getting them vaccinated as soon as possible.”
BACKGROUND: This unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the Chicago Federation of Labor is the first site in the nation run by the labor movement for all eligible union members. The site is open to union workers or union retirees who live or work in Chicago and are eligible for vaccinations under Phase 1a, 1b and 1c guidelines as defined by the Chicago Department of Public Health. The site will support the City of Chicago’s efforts to get vaccines to Black and Latinx Chicagoans who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The CFL vaccination site is expected to handle approximately 2,400 vaccinations this week, with additional capacity added as vaccine supply increases. For more information about vaccine appointments, union members should visit www.chicagolabor.org/vaccine.
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The Chicago Federation of Labor is the third-largest central labor council of the AFL-CIO representing nearly 300 unions and labor organizations comprised of over half a million union members in Chicago and Cook County.