The village has been given until the end of March to answer charges that it engaged in unfair labor practices when it changed the work schedule of paramedics Jan. 1.
The Illinois Labor Relations Board has determined that a complaint filed against the village by 10 Barrington paramedics in December merits a hearing. First, however, the board has asked village officials to answer the allegations.
Paramedics accuse officials of retaliating against their unionizing efforts. The workers say they were campaigning to gain collective bargaining rights as a union when the Village Board changed their schedule to eight-hour days from 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off duty.
But Village President Ted Forsberg said the schedule change was part of a larger reorganization effort started long before.
“There’s no retaliation here,” Forsberg said. “I was talking about reorganization of the fire and police departments prior to the time of filing for (bargaining rights) by the paramedic union. I’ve been talking about this since ’83 and more particularly since ’87 and 1989.”
The new schedule was initiated on a trial basis through April 30.
But Michael Madden, president of the Association of Barrington Firefighter/Paramedics, said a hearing before the labor relations board will vindicate the paramedics’ position.
“Nobody’s buying the idea that (the schedule change) is an experiment,” Madden said.
