You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
Union leaders for the City Colleges of Chicago are calling on the administration to do more to protect employees from the novel coronavirus.
The community college system has provided little guidance on their safety measures, according Tony Johnston, president of the Cook County College Teachers Union, and Dolores Withers, president of the Federation of College Clerical and Technical Employees, who held a news conference today.
Carmelita Cristobal, a clerical employee at Wilbur Wright College, died of complications from COVID-19, according to Johnston. It's possible Cristobal was in contact with other employees while contagious, according to both Johnston and Withers.
Cristobal's coworkers were told she was hospitalized with bronchitis, according to Audrey Butler, executive vice president of the federation.
Withers also said safety equipment is lacking for employees who are still reporting to campus. Supplies vary from campus to campus, she said. Leadership also is not providing the unions with a list of which employees are considered essential and required to report to campus, she said.
In a statement to Inside Higher Ed, City Colleges acknowledged that one of its employees who had COVID-19 has died.
"We are mourning the loss of our beloved community member. Due to privacy, no other details will be shared," the statement reads. "Please rest assured that from the outset of COVID-19, City Colleges has followed the direction and guidance of the Chicago Department of Public Health on all COVID-19 matters and has sought specific counsel, feedback and approval from CDPH on all COVID related actions and communications and will continue to do so throughout this pandemic."
All janitors have been provided gloves for cleaning and hand sanitizer is available throughout all colleges, according to the statement.
