Excerpts from Oaklawnleaf.com: The recent arbitration case between the Village of Oak Lawn and the Oak Lawn Firefighters Union involved 10 disputed issues, but the most contentious one—minimum manning—was decided in favor of the firefighters. Once again, the village failed to convince the arbitrator that reducing staffing levels was necessary. On January 1st, Arbitrator Steven M. Bierig issued a 195-page decision ruling in favor of the union on minimum manning and six other issues, while siding with the village on two matters. One remaining issue regarding out-of-state residency will be determined by the courts in February. Minimum manning has long been a hotly debated topic between the two parties, with multiple arbitration and court hearings over the years. In his decision, Bierig stated, “After reviewing the evidence and arguments, I find that the village’s proposal is not a breakthrough and that they have not met their burden to prove it is appropriate. Therefore, the union’s status quo proposal is granted.†He emphasized that the party seeking to change the contract must demonstrate that such a change is necessary. Bierig referenced a Will County case and outlined the traditional three-prong test used by arbitrators to evaluate major changes: 1) the old system didn’t work as expected; 2) the current system caused operational hardships or fairness issues; or 3) the party wanting to maintain the status quo refused to negotiate. Despite the village’s claim that the current minimum manning number was excessive, the arbitrator found that the existing setup had functioned well. The village argued for reducing the number from 21 to 19 employees per shift, claiming it was reasonable. They even brought in an expert who suggested that three firefighters could manage an engine instead of four. However, the union countered that the current staffing level ensured safety and effective emergency response. The union maintained that the current system has worked effectively for years and that reducing staffing would compromise fire protection. They pointed out that having four firefighters on an engine allows a single unit to immediately begin fighting a fire. If the village’s plan were implemented, two engines would be needed, which would slow down response times and increase reliance on neighboring departments—an unreliable and unsafe approach. An expert witness from the union testified that four firefighters per engine is more efficient and safer than three. While some departments use three, it doesn’t mean that four isn’t the better option. The arbitrator agreed, stating that the village’s proposal represented a major change rather than a minor adjustment. Bierig noted that the current staffing level has been in place since 1992 under Mayor Ernie Kolb. He stressed that changing it would be a significant departure from the original agreement, which was designed for efficient emergency response and employee safety. The village’s motivation, he concluded, was financial, not operational. Additionally, the arbitrator rejected the village’s claim that the union had refused to negotiate. He pointed out that the union had engaged in discussions, but the proposals lacked sufficient value to justify reducing staffing. He also referenced a previous arbitration where the same issue was dismissed due to lack of justification. In the end, the union won seven of the 10 issues, while the village secured two. The out-of-state residency matter will go to court in February. The village’s wage proposal was accepted, along with their request to keep certain responsibilities and overtime policies unchanged. Thanks, Dan. Particle Cleaning Agent,Efficient Particle Cleaning Agent,Strong Particle Cleaning Agent,High-Performance Particle Cleaning Agent Hudeng Metal Materials Co., Ltd , https://www.hudengmetal.com