Judge: St. Louis FF, Police Pay Can Be Tied to Each Other

ST. LOUIS—A Missouri Circuit Court judge ruled Monday that a portion of the city of St. Louis charter that states police salaries must be comparable to firefighter salaries is still valid, more than two years after the St. Louis Police Officers Association filed a lawsuit attempting to get that section of the charter declared invalid by a judge.

Section 31, amended to the city's charter in 1970, stipulates that the wages for certain ranks of firefighter be equivalent with the wages for certain ranks of police officer.

According to a lawsuit filed by the police association in October 2016, this portion of the charter hinders the police union's ability to bargain for pay increases. They also argue that the charter passage was written when the police department was operated by the state. Now, the city operates the police department.

"As we pointed out in the lawsuit, it makes it very difficult to negotiate for our members when we also have to tell the city ... where to find raises for firefighters too," police association business manager Jeff Roorda said Tuesday.

Judge Joan Moriarty issued an order Monday dismissing the reasoning of the association and decreeing that the portion of the charter tying police and firefighter wages to each other "is valid and remains in effect."

"(The police association) argues that Section 31 is unconstitutional and that it interferes with their right to collectively bargain for higher wages," the judge's order reads. "(But it is) undisputed that plaintiff SLPOA has and continues to collectively bargain on behalf of police officers in the city of St. Louis."

Roorda said the police association is consulting with its attorney and considering whether to appeal, and a decision could be reached next week.

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