Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com: The Elgin firefighters' union has filed a labor complaint against the city following an incident where three members were ordered to cut their hair, which they had been growing as a symbolic protest against the 25-month absence of a collective bargaining agreement. Vince Rychtanek, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 439, along with Vice President Edward Hanson and Shop Steward Joe Villella, began letting their hair grow in early 2015 as a form of peaceful resistance. They have been working without a contract since January 2014, and the issue is currently under arbitration. Recently, the three were instructed by their superiors to trim their hair, according to Rychtanek. Villella complied first, followed by Rychtanek and Hanson last week. The union’s complaint, dated February 9, isn’t about the length of their hair itself, but rather about the department making changes to grooming policies without engaging in proper negotiations with the union, Rychtanek explained. “We were all told to cut our hair. We’re not going to disobey orders,†Rychtanek said. “Grooming standards are typically considered a mandatory subject for bargaining across the country.†Fire Chief John Fahy stated that the department’s policy requires members to maintain a “neat and clean†appearance. However, Rychtanek clarified that the order to cut hair was issued to all three, while Fahy claimed it only applied to Hanson, who refused to comply when asked by his battalion chief. Villella had already cut his hair earlier in the year after a conversation with a former assistant chief, and Rychtanek did so after being approached by his own battalion chief. “Rychtanek’s and Hanson’s hair got pretty out of hand—shaggy, unkempt, and long,†Fahy said. “Their battalion chiefs told them, ‘You need to meet the policy.’†According to Fahy, fire departments across the country have varying grooming rules, ranging from simple guidelines like Elgin’s to more detailed regulations on hair length, piercings, and tattoos. “We don’t have a hair problem in the Elgin Fire Department,†Fahy said. “We have 133 members, and only three are upset about the arbitration process.†Rychtanek agreed that the issue is fundamentally about the stalled contract negotiations. “Ultimately, we just want the city to sit down and negotiate,†he said. “It’s not about wanting to grow our hair long.†The current dispute is tied to a provision regarding minimum staffing levels, which has kept the contract in arbitration for over two years. “It’s unacceptable that firefighters have gone more than two years without a contract,†Rychtanek said. “This happens with every contract except one in my 23-year career. It’s how the city negotiates—they always go to arbitration.†Thanks, Dan Plastic Extrusion Line,Pvc Extrusion Line,Extrusion Line Machine,Pvc Extruder Line Hebei Shuangda Rubber & Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. , https://www.shuangdarubber.com