EAST CHICAGO - East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland has filed an emergency order to keep city firefighters on a rotation of eight-hour morning, afternoon and overnight shifts, instead of 24 hours on and 48 hours off, according to the "Times."
The swing shift schedule has been a point of contention between the mayor and members of the East Chicago Professional Firefighters Local 365, because it's a schedule they oppose.
Copeland told the "Times" he signed the order hours after a 7-1 vote Monday night by the East Chicago Common Council to override the mayor’s veto of their ordinance, which would return the firefighters to their old schedule of 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off duty.
Council members and the mayor have been vying for control over the fire department for months. The attorney for the mayor says Copeland has authority over the E.C.F.D. work schedule. The city council's attorney told council members they have the authority to set the fire department's work schedule.
The matter now goes to Lake Superior Court, where the case is pending before Judge Bruce Parent. No rules have yet come down on the matter.
