By DONNA FARLEY
Associate Editor
A request Monday to place items related to a police department union on the April 16 workshop agenda for the Poplar Bluff City Council were met mostly with silence by officials.
The council was asked to begin a formal conversation about voluntary recognition or the procedure for a representation election and establishing the structure for collective bargaining by a law enforcement unit.
Council members said at their March 19 meeting these discussions should wait until after the election Tuesday, which will decide the representatives for Ward 2 and Ward 4.
Mark Baker, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 702, said he understood this reasoning, when requesting an April 16 workshop date.
"The majority of the council is still going to be here on the 16th," he said, earlier telling council members the request was made, "in order to timely act on the wishes of the police department."
Baker has said approximately 35 out of 50 members of the department have signed cards requesting union representation.
Baker told the council he understands that in order to get voluntary recognition, disagreements between the union and city would have to be resolved.
City attorney Mark Richardson said in March the city disagrees on which employees could be part of the union.
The union would like to include 58 members of the department, representing everyone except the police chief and deputy chief. This would also include code enforcement, civilian employees and others, in addition to police officers.
The city would include about 20 members. This would eliminate supervisors from the union, according to Richardson.
Mayor Ed DeGaris of Ward 2 told Baker during Monday's meeting he would support putting the matter on the council agenda if the union works out details with Richardson and city manager Mark Massingham.
The city will have to determine what would go in the ordinance, Baker said.
"If voluntary recognition is not approved, we would like to have that ordinance in place to move forward with a secret ballot election," he said.
Mayor pro tem Susan McVey of Ward 1 said the council did not need to take action Monday.
"Two council people can still put it over between now and the 16th if they choose to. I just think we need to wait and see about the election tomorrow," she said.
It requires the mayor or two city council members to place an item on the workshop or action agenda.
Members of city administration can also place items on the council agenda, Massingham has said.