Four ticketing agents at Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center have filed complaints accusing their employer, Union Pacific Railroad, of not doing enough to keep them safe from becoming infected with Covid at the onset of the pandemic.
Plaintiffs Melody Calhoun, Gloria Centille, Tandolaya Hill, and Deloris Crawford each filed separate, but nearly identical lawsuits against Union Pacific on Nov. 14 in Cook County Circuit Court. All four said they worked in Chicago's largest downtown train station, selling train tickets to commuters.
In the lawsuits,the plaintiffs said UP failed to develop, put in place, or communicate with its staff about workplace accommodations or protections recommended by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Occupational Heath and Safety Administration, and were promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the Covid outbreak.
Clifford W. Horwitz
| horwitzlaw.com
In each case, the plaintiffs assert, as a result of UP's alleged negligence, they were exposed to and became infected with virus that causes Covid-19, ultimately developing symptoms and resulting in losses that harmed them both physically and financially.
In each case, the Plaintiffs are accusing Union Pacific of allegedly violating CDC recommendations on multiple points, contending that the company was grossly negligent and derelict in its obligation to the safety and wellbeing of its personnel during the pandemic.
Specifically, they pointed to CDC recommendations that employers implement safety protocols, including:
- Social distancing,
- On-site screening procedures,
- Quarantining/isolation of infected employees,
- Providing hand sanitizers, soap or wipes,
- Protective equipment such as masks, gloves and face shields,
- Periodic safety audits, and
- On-going training of staff to implement and follow safe protocols to minimize exposure risk, among others.
The plaintiffs are all represented by attorney Clifford W. Horwitz, of the firm of Horwitz Horwitz and Associates, of Chicago.