Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com: The Elgin firefighters' union has raised concerns over a recent directive that led to three members being asked to cut their hair, which they had been growing as a form of protest against the city's 25-month-long lack of a labor contract. Vince Rychtanek, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 439, along with Vice President Edward Hanson and Shop Steward Joe Villella, began growing their hair in April 2015. Their goal was to draw attention to the ongoing issue of working without a contract since January 2014. The dispute is currently under arbitration. Recently, the three were ordered to trim their hair by their superiors, according to Rychtanek. Villella complied first, followed by Rychtanek and Hanson last week. However, the union’s complaint, dated February 9, isn’t about the length of their hair—it’s about the department making changes to grooming policies without prior negotiation with the union. "We were all told to cut our hair. We’re not going to ignore an order," Rychtanek said. "Grooming standards are generally considered a mandatory subject for bargaining across the country." Fire Chief John Fahy explained that the department’s policy requires firefighters to maintain a "neat and clean" appearance. He clarified that the order to cut hair applied specifically to Edward Hanson, who initially refused to comply when asked by his battalion chief. Joe Villella had already cut his hair earlier in the year after a conversation with a former assistant chief, while Rychtanek did so after being approached by his own battalion chief. "Rychtanek’s and Hanson’s hair had gotten pretty long and messy," Fahy said. "Their battalion chiefs told them, 'You need to meet the policy.'" Fahy noted that 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," he said. "We have 133 members, and only three are upset about the arbitration process." Rychtanek confirmed that the issue is ultimately about the stalled contract negotiations. "We just want the city to sit down and negotiate," he said. "It’s not about keeping our hair long." The current contract is stuck in arbitration due to a disagreement over minimum staffing requirements, Rychtanek explained. "It’s unacceptable that firefighters have gone over two years without a contract," he added. "This is how the city usually handles negotiations—they go straight to arbitration." Thanks, Dan Butyl Tape Production Line,Waterproof Tape Production Machine,Adhesive Coating Machine,Butyl Tape Extruder Machine Hebei Shuangda Rubber & Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. , https://www.shuangdarubber.com