UPDATE Firefighters suspended over flags on their helmets
Sept 11, 2014 0:18:04 GMT
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Post by wezee on Sept 11, 2014 0:18:04 GMT
Four Firefighters from a nearby town have been suspended because they won't remove American Flags from
helmets. The chief says the emblems promote racism
Four Maywood firefighters have been relieved of duty for the day, and more could be disciplined Wednesday, for refusing to remove American flag decals from their helmets and lockers.
The four refused to comply with an order issued last week by Chief Craig Bronaugh to remove all stickers from their helmets and lockers. The four drew the line when it came to the flag decals.
A representative from Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents the firefighters, met for an hour with Chief Bronaugh Tuesday afternoon, with the union hoping Chief Bronaugh would modify his order. Instead, he ordered the firefighters sent home immediately, pending disciplinary action.
The four firefighters said they were told that the order was issued because of racial discord on the department. The four, who include two white firefighters, a black firefighter, and a fourth firefighter who is a Cuban émigré, said no such problems exist.
Instead, they trace it back to a decision by several firefighters to replace a tattered American flag last month in one of Maywood’s firehouses. The new flag mysteriously disappeared early Aug. 23. The order on decals was issued last week.
UPDATE:“After review, I made a decision to put a department-issued flag on every locker,” Bronaugh said at a news conference outside department headquarters. “I want everyone to be clear: There was never an issue of disposing of the flag.”
The four firefighters were relieved of their duties for the shift they were working on and were not docked any pay, he said.
Still, hard feelings remain over the Bronaugh's order.
“It's very hurtful and disrespectful the way things turned out,” firefighter David Flowers said. “Guys had 9/11 (stickers) ... on their helmets. It means a lot to us. Mine has been on (my helmet) since 9/11.”
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Flowers, an African-American, was sent home Monday after he refused to remove a Marine Corps sticker from his locker that was placed there by his father, a former firefighter with the department who served as a Marine in the Vietnam War.
Bronaugh said Wednesday that his order was prompted by renovation plans at the department's facilities and by the desire to have a uniform appearance among his employees.
In a report Tuesday on WGN-Ch. 9, Bronaugh said he was trying to address racism within the department and showed as evidence a picture of a monkey smoking a cigarette that had been taped to a locker.
cComments
It seems like Chief Bronaugh failed to think this through. I'd like to hear about Bronaugh's background. Did he come up through the ranks? Who's his clout?
SoChicagoan
at 9:58 PM September 10, 2014
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“To see these pictures, and to draw the conclusion that there are racist firefighters working in this firehouse, (it is) something that as the fire chief here, I cannot afford nor tolerate,” Bronaugh said in the WGN report.
Bronaugh refused to answer questions about the picture Wednesday, even though members of his department said it was posted briefly about a decade ago and had nothing to do with race.
Former Maywood firefighter Michael Hess said he put the picture on the locker of Lt. David Hughes. Both Hess and Hughes are white. Hess said he did it to needle Hughes about his smoking habit.
“I saw the picture in the newspaper, cut it out and put it on his locker about 10 years ago,” Hess said. “It came down as quickly as it went up.”
Hughes said he was shocked that the incident would be used as evidence of racism.
Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents the department's nearly three dozen firefighters, filed a complaint Wednesday with the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
Union spokesman Adam Rosen said the complaint alleges that the department refused to bargain with the union over the sticker decision, created a hostile work environment and denied members the right to have legal counsel present.
The dispute, he said, is about more than a few stickers.
“It's about freedom of speech, and there should be nothing wrong with them expressing their patriotism,” Rosen said
helmets. The chief says the emblems promote racism
Four Maywood firefighters have been relieved of duty for the day, and more could be disciplined Wednesday, for refusing to remove American flag decals from their helmets and lockers.
The four refused to comply with an order issued last week by Chief Craig Bronaugh to remove all stickers from their helmets and lockers. The four drew the line when it came to the flag decals.
A representative from Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents the firefighters, met for an hour with Chief Bronaugh Tuesday afternoon, with the union hoping Chief Bronaugh would modify his order. Instead, he ordered the firefighters sent home immediately, pending disciplinary action.
The four firefighters said they were told that the order was issued because of racial discord on the department. The four, who include two white firefighters, a black firefighter, and a fourth firefighter who is a Cuban émigré, said no such problems exist.
Instead, they trace it back to a decision by several firefighters to replace a tattered American flag last month in one of Maywood’s firehouses. The new flag mysteriously disappeared early Aug. 23. The order on decals was issued last week.
UPDATE:“After review, I made a decision to put a department-issued flag on every locker,” Bronaugh said at a news conference outside department headquarters. “I want everyone to be clear: There was never an issue of disposing of the flag.”
The four firefighters were relieved of their duties for the shift they were working on and were not docked any pay, he said.
Still, hard feelings remain over the Bronaugh's order.
“It's very hurtful and disrespectful the way things turned out,” firefighter David Flowers said. “Guys had 9/11 (stickers) ... on their helmets. It means a lot to us. Mine has been on (my helmet) since 9/11.”
lRelated Maywood firefighters
Breaking News
Maywood firefighters
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8
Flowers, an African-American, was sent home Monday after he refused to remove a Marine Corps sticker from his locker that was placed there by his father, a former firefighter with the department who served as a Marine in the Vietnam War.
Bronaugh said Wednesday that his order was prompted by renovation plans at the department's facilities and by the desire to have a uniform appearance among his employees.
In a report Tuesday on WGN-Ch. 9, Bronaugh said he was trying to address racism within the department and showed as evidence a picture of a monkey smoking a cigarette that had been taped to a locker.
cComments
It seems like Chief Bronaugh failed to think this through. I'd like to hear about Bronaugh's background. Did he come up through the ranks? Who's his clout?
SoChicagoan
at 9:58 PM September 10, 2014
Add a comment See all comments
42
“To see these pictures, and to draw the conclusion that there are racist firefighters working in this firehouse, (it is) something that as the fire chief here, I cannot afford nor tolerate,” Bronaugh said in the WGN report.
Bronaugh refused to answer questions about the picture Wednesday, even though members of his department said it was posted briefly about a decade ago and had nothing to do with race.
Former Maywood firefighter Michael Hess said he put the picture on the locker of Lt. David Hughes. Both Hess and Hughes are white. Hess said he did it to needle Hughes about his smoking habit.
“I saw the picture in the newspaper, cut it out and put it on his locker about 10 years ago,” Hess said. “It came down as quickly as it went up.”
Hughes said he was shocked that the incident would be used as evidence of racism.
Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents the department's nearly three dozen firefighters, filed a complaint Wednesday with the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
Union spokesman Adam Rosen said the complaint alleges that the department refused to bargain with the union over the sticker decision, created a hostile work environment and denied members the right to have legal counsel present.
The dispute, he said, is about more than a few stickers.
“It's about freedom of speech, and there should be nothing wrong with them expressing their patriotism,” Rosen said
If you go back and read my posts, I said too many holes. Stated an opinion with the caveat of what has been presented here. Interesting you aren't going after those that you apparently agree with that it is definitely insubordination.