The village and the firefighters union will go to arbitration to settle their differences after 16 months of contract talks broke down last week, officials said.
Although both village officials and members of the Downers Grove Professional Firefighters Association Local 3234 had hoped the Nov. 12 talks would result in the village`s first contract with the union, the two parties could not agree on a proposal for new shifts or a plan to require non-union members to pay union dues.
More Top Picks Best Loveseats For Small Living Rooms
Currently, the village`s 57 firefighters and paramedics work four 11-hour days each week. The union has been pushing for shifts of 24 hours in a row on duty with 48 hours off, the plan used by Chicago and most suburban fire departments. Village officials say they cannot implement such a shift unless 35 more fire personnel are hired.
Village officials said they will not agree to the union`s demand that non-union members pay union dues.
Once an arbitrator is assigned to the case, an agreement could be reached within several weeks, said a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Labor. If the two sides agree, fire personnel will likely receive the raises they have gone without for nearly three years, union officials said.