Stymied
Mike Evans, president of the Springfield Police Officers Association, speaks with a local legislator outside City Hall recently.
In Springfield, Missouri, Springfield Police Officers Association President Mike Evans isn’t taking public protests off the table as his team battles the city for better wages and benefits for the Officers.
But unlike some other areas, negotiating contracts is a relatively new thing in Missouri. Evans said the union began negotiating with the police department shortly after the Missouri Supreme Court allowed public sector employees the right to bargain over wages in 2012. The discussions continued for 16 months, until this month when an impasse was declared.
“We could have 331 police officers but we only have 305,” Evans said. “Part of the problem is that the pay is too low. We have cities like St. Joseph and Independence making $6,000 to $8,000 more. Part of what was offered in the city’s last plan was actually to reduce officers’ wages, which we think is ridiculous.”
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
