Union Asks Frankfort Fire Trustee To Resign, Says He Threatened Members

FRANKFORT, IL -- A union leader has asked a member of the Frankfort Fire Protection District board of trustees to resign for comments he allegedly made to union workers while they were working without a contract. A letter penned by Frankfort Firefighters Local 4338 President Nicholas Sunzere asks for the resignation of Trustee Larry Nice.

The letter, dated Sept. 28, was sent to Nice and the board of trustees one day after Nice made "threatening" comments to union workers while discussing issues such as the board not filling a vacant battalion chief position, according to Sunzere.

"You have made unprofessional and threatening statements to our members," the letter reads. The statements "cast doubt on your ability to ethically and professionally fulfill your duties as a member of the board of trustees."

Sunzere told Frankfort Patch that Nice said during the discussion about the battalion chief position that if the union stands up for its rights he would hire contract workers to replace them.

"He threatened to let us go and even close down (a) station," Sunzere said. "There are five stations and he said he would brown us out. He has no authority to do that."

Nice issued an apology during a recent board of trustees meeting, but did not resign.

"I felt it was not genuine (the apology)," Sunzere said. "We will ask him to resign at the next meeting."

Bob Jacobs, president of the Frankfort Fire Protection District board of trustees, said Nice had a "heated discussion" with some of the firefighters who were on duty at the station and later sent a letter to the union expressing regret.

He said the board does not have the authority to force Nice, an elected trustee, to resign and neither does the union.

Sunzere said Frankfort union firefighters are working on an expired but enforced contract and are in negotiations for a new three-year deal.

Nice has served on the board for several terms, having been elected to his current six-year term in 2015.

Photo: A portion of the letter addressed to Frankfort Fire Protection District Trustee Larry Nice, who the Frankfort Firefighters Local 4338 has asked to resign. Provided by Nick Sunzere