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Maywood Firefighters Allowed To Return To Work, Decal Dispute Still Unresolved

(CBS) -- Firefighters in Maywood have filed a union grievance against the village and the fire chief for demanding that they remove their own American flags and other stickers from their lockers and helmets.

The four Maywood firefighters who were "relieved of duty" for part of a shift this week - after they balked at the chief's order - will now be allowed to go back to work and won't lose pay, says the fire chief.

But still not resolved: what stickers the firefighters may be allowed to post on their lockers and helmets.

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Chief Craig Bronaugh says he ordered those stickers taken off - so everything would be uniform, and now he says department-issued flag stickers will be posted on every locker.

But on the eve of the 9-11 anniversary, telling firefighters to remove their own American flag decals didn't sit very well.

"I do feel offended. I do feel upset, and I do feel hurt," said firefighter Jesus Aguire, a veteran.

"So people might think it's just a sticker. But to me, it's more than a sticker. This is what I fought for and what a lot of other soldiers - thousands of soldiers, fighting for this country," Aguire says.

Chief Bronaugh was asked if his desire for uniformity was worth all the dissension.

"I think there's been dissension on both sides," said Bronaugh. "I think that this goes far beyond this past week. And... that'll be part of the resolve.

"But ultimately? No, it was not."

Chief Bronaugh had implied earlier that one sticker that had been on a locker in the past might be perceived as racist.

Now he won't talk about that.

Bronaugh says he would have discussions with firefighters about what decals would be allowed, but it was unclear when those would take place.

And he mentioned those discussions to reporters even as he seemed to lay down the law on his plan for uniformity: all stickers except a department-issued flag sticker would have to go.

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