March 22, 2023 Webster Groves officials dumped the contract over a staffing and overtime dispute.
By Nassim Benchaabane Source St. Louis Post-Dispatch (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mar. 21—WEBSTER GROVES — The firefighters union has sued the city of Webster Groves to try to reinstate a contract the city terminated last week amid a dispute over minimum-staffing requirements and overtime costs.
The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2665’s petition asks a St. Louis County Circuit Court judge to immediately reinstate the contract and order the city to pay legal fees.
The Webster Groves City Council voted unanimously last week to dump the contract after accusing the union of refusing to negotiate in good faith by making counterproposals the city had already said it couldn’t meet, after more than a year of bargaining.
The contract, which covered 33 of the department’s 38 personnel, expired in June of 2022 but included a provision that the contract “shall remain in effect during good faith negotiations and shall continue to remain in full force and effect until such time as a new agreement is agreed upon.”
The city violated that provision by unilaterally declaring negotiations for a new contract were at an impasse, the union argues.
Negotiators had asked the city to keep bargaining two of 12 key terms in the city’s last offer Feb. 24, but the city declined to do so, according to the union.
“The city in effect acted as judge, jury and executioner and it does not have the legal authority to do that,” said IAFF attorney Richard Barry.
A spokeswoman for Webster Groves said on Tuesday the city had not yet been served, and would not comment on the suit.
The bargaining dispute came down to whether the city would be required to pay overtime to keep a minimum 12 firefighters per shift — they also serve as paramedics — or 10 per shift.
The 12-person minimum led to more than $580,000 in overtime costs last year — almost $325,000 over the department’s budget for overtime pay, according to city records. Mayor Laura Arnold said the city, facing a budget crunch, had to act to rein in costs and plan the year’s budget.
The union disputed the city’s budget claims and argued the city used the disagreement to dump its contract.