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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency
3that has resulted in 300,000 cases and nearly 10,000 deaths in
4Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In the early stages of the pandemic, the Cook
6County Department of Corrections (CCDOC) was considered the
7largest cluster of COVID-19 infections in the country; and
 
8    WHEREAS, At one point, 1 in 6 COVID-19 cases in Illinois
9could be traced back to the Cook County Jail; and
 
10    WHEREAS, While some Cook County workers have jobs that can
11be worked from home, CCDOC workers represented by Teamsters
12Local 700 have responsibilities that require them to work as
13frontline employees outside their homes and have jobs that
14require them to be in public and to interact with COVID-19
15positive individuals; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The members of Teamsters Local 700 at CCDOC risk
17their lives and the health and safety of their families to
18provide Cook County residents with safe, clean, efficient, and
19effective services; and
 
20    WHEREAS, CCDOC officers on the front line of the pandemic

 

 

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1are unable to practice social distancing because of the
2confined conditions at the jail; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Corrections officers' positions were identified
4months ago by their essential nature, and CCDOC officers have
5continued to provide critical services during the COVID-19
6pandemic; and
 
7    WHEREAS, CCDOC officers represented by Teamsters Local 700
8put themselves in harm's way on a daily basis, many working
916-hour days without hazard pay; and
 
10    WHEREAS, CCDOC officers are 10 times more likely to
11contract COVID-19 than the average American; and
 
12    WHEREAS, More than 500 CCDOC officers have contracted
13COVID-19; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Six CCDOC officers represented by Teamsters Local
15700 and one Court Services Deputy lost their lives due to
16COVID-19; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Sheila Rivera, a corrections officer since 2012,
18lost her life to COVID-19; she leaves behind a husband and a
1916-year-old son; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Antoine Stewart, a corrections officer since 2010
2and a resident of Crestwood, lost his life to COVID-19; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Antoine Jones, a corrections officer since 2002
4and a South Side resident and grandfather of seven, lost his
5life to COVID-19; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Jose Pedro Marquez, a corrections officer since
72004 and a resident of Berwyn, lost his life to COVID-19; he
8leaves behind five children and three grandchildren; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Richard O'Brien, a Cook County Sheriff's Deputy
10for 25 years, lost his life to COVID-19; he leaves behind a
11wife and three children; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Jason Bobzin, a corrections officer since 2005 and
13a resident of Countryside, passed away after completing his
14shift at the jail; he leaves behind three children and six
15grandchildren; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Richard Santiago, a 31-year-old corrections
17officer and a resident of Elmwood Park, passed away due to
18COVID-19; he leaves behind his fiancé, Priscilla, and his son,
19Janius; and
 
20    WHEREAS, These members lost their lives while providing

 

 

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1essential public safety services; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The 3,000 CCDOC officers represented by Teamsters
3Local 700 continue to risk their lives in service to the
4public; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
6HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7we recognize the sacrifices made by Sheila Rivera, Antoine
8Stewart, Antoine Jones, Jose Pedro Marquez, Richard O'Brien,
9Jason Bobzin, and Richard Santiago, and all of the men and
10women of the Cook County Department of Corrections represented
11by Teamsters Local 700; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That we urge Cook County to provide hazard pay to
13all corrections officers, in recognition of their continued
14public service under dangerous circumstances; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
16presented to the families of Sheila Rivera, Antoine Stewart,
17Antoine Jones, Jose Pedro Marquez, Richard O'Brien, Jason
18Bobzin, and Richard Santiago and to Teamsters Local 700.