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Sleepy Hollow part-timers file labor complaints

An attorney for part-time police officers in Sleepy Hollow is alleging the village retaliated against his clients because they are active in a union.

Rich Blass, the attorney for the officers, has filed two unfair labor practice charges with the Illinois Labor Relations Board claiming police supervisors reassigned or cut the hours of officers who are leaders of the part-time officers' union and members of the group's negotiating team.

“It's our contention that both of these are based on their involvement with the union,” Blass said.

Mark Schuster, an attorney for the village, said he is aware of the complaints but that it would be premature to comment on them.

“There's an unfair labor practice claim that's been made,” Schuster said. “Nothing further has transpired ... We'll see what happens.”

The claims stem from the decision by 11 part-time officers in Sleepy Hollow to form a union in the spring of 2010. Shortly after that, leaders of the new union began negotiating a contract with village officials. Those discussions are ongoing.

According to the complaint, union President Jeff Fleck and Vice President Steven Rodeback went from being on the work schedule four to five times every month to not being scheduled for as long as four months.

“Two part-time officers were completely removed from the schedule,” Blass said. “They couldn't work at all.”

A second complaint alleges that Rodeback, who has served as Sleepy Hollow's training officer for more than six years, was quietly removed from his position because of his union involvement. The attorney said recent meetings with village officials did not address the officer's status.

“There was not any discussion involving the range officer position,” Blass said. “We take that to mean he was no longer the range officer.”

Blass says he is willing to resolve the issues without the involvement of labor board.

“If they want to sit down and work this out, we don't need the labor board involved,” Blass said.

Attorneys for both sides are scheduled to meet on Jan. 17 to discuss the part-timers' unresolved contract and the pending labor charges.