Cape Girardeau Firefighters Union demands city return to contract negotiations
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — The City of Cape is being accused of being in violation of Missouri state law.
According to the Cape Girardeau Firefighters’ Association local 1084 the city’s lack of negotiations has impacted morale, and retention in firefighters causing issues to public safety.
The Cape Girardeau Professional Firefighters Union is demanding the city return to good faith bargaining after three years without a contract.
The union says the city’s refusal to negotiate in good faith jeopardizes public safety and disrespects firefighters who risk their lives to protect the community.
Union President Andrew Matthews says the lack of a fair contract makes it difficult to recruit and retain experienced firefighters, putting effective emergency response at risk.
The union has issued a formal demand letter to the city, calling for an immediate return to lawful negotiations.
Ethan Essner is the Vice President for Cape Girardeau Firefighters’ Association Local 1084. He shares that they are losing valuable firefighters because the City of Capes lack of negotiations. The Cape Girardeau Firefighters’ Association Local 1084 wrote a demand letter stating that the City of Cape has a 7-day window to bargain within good faith otherwise legal action would be pursued.
“We’re trying to be an advocate for the community and the citizens, you know ultimately pay and benefits are great but at the end of the day it’s about services that we can provide to the city and over the past three years we’ve lost 12 employees of all ranks that have substantial experience” says Essner.
Cape firefighters show up to fires, car accidents, and other life-threatening situations 24 hours a day 7 days a week to protect the Cape community. We reached out to the City of Cape for an interview where it was stated they would soon have a news release out on the issue.
“I think that best case would be for them to come back and realize that the one page document that’s an MOU that they provided to us is not bargaining within good faith” says Essner.” And it allows them the ability to change things like hours of operation and staffing at the stroke of a pin. If we had a contract in place, a CBA that would protect things in the community so that staffing levels can stay where they need to be for the community.”
Essner says they have met with the city 20 times, and he believes it comes down to the right people not showing up to the meetings.
If you’d like to show support to the local firefighters of Cape Girardeau Essner says a phone call or letter to your council members or attending city council meetings and share your opinions.
“We are hoping that the demand letter gets them back to the table and gets them to sign the 28-page document that protects those things that will make the community a safer place” says Essner.
