ST PAUL, Minn. — A judge has invalidated St. Paul's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for unionized city employees.
In a ruling handed down Thursday Ramsey County Judge Leonardo Castro opined that the city improperly imposed the mandate without meeting and negotiating with various employee unions.
The judge called the mandate an unfair labor practice, writing that city officials did what they thought was right in the face of the pandemic but the mandate is intrusive and requires employees to “forfeit their bodily autonomy in the name of maintaining their livelihood.”
In his decision, Judge Castro issued a permanent injunction preventing the city of St. Paul from implementing and enforcing its COVID vaccine mandate policy until the city and unions can sit down and reach agreement on implementing such a requirement.
Unions including the Saint Paul Police Federation, the International Association of Firefighters and The Tri-Council Teamsters Local sued over the mandate last year.
City spokesman Kamal Baker says city officials are now reviewing the decision and considering the best way to keep employees safe.
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