Right-to-work dispute splits police in KC
Whether or not they approve, non-union police officers and sergeants in Kansas City are being forced to pay a share of the local union’s legal fees.
If they repeatedly refuse, they’ll be hunting new employment.
The situation has created acrimony within the Kansas City Police Department ranks and prompted some non-union department members to take their right-to-work case to lawmakers this week.
It grew out of a lawsuit the Board of Police Commissioners settled behind closed doors in January with the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. The FOP had sued to block plans to consolidate the city and Police Department’s health insurance plans.
The settlement included a provision requiring officers and sergeants who aren’t FOP members to pay their “fair share” of FOP legal fees related to collective bargaining every year.
FOP officials sent an email to non-members last month telling them they each owe $73 for 2012 legal fees. A partial payment, at the least, is due April 1. Non-members who repeatedly refuse to pay will be fired without recourse, said Sean McCauley, an FOP attorney.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/15/4124172/kc-police-dispute-highlights-right.html#storylink=cpy
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