Correction officers have sued the state, alleging that the state's refusal to pay dues from their paychecks to the union is unconstitutional
The Missouri Office of Administration (MOA) is allegedly withholding union dues that are normally paid bi-monthly to the Missouri Corrections Officers Association (MCOA), according to Tim Cutt, employee representative for the MCOA.
“The MCOA is a union and an association,” Cutt told the St. Louis Record. “We want to pay dues to the union.”
In the complaint, Judge Jon Beetem is being asked to reverse the state’s decision to revoke the association’s payroll power, which is outlined in a Dec. 9 letter signed by Stacy Neal, director of the agency's division of accounting.
“The MCOA requested a temporary restraining order and we had video court on Friday,” Cutt said.
The action is being adjudicated in the Cole County Circuit Court, which is the same court that a jury awarded thousands of officers some $113 million in back pay because guards were allegedly systemically unpaid for work once they arrived at the correctional center, according to media reports.
However, the award is currently on appeal with the Missouri Supreme Court.
"Missouri is not a union-friendly state," said Cutt. "It's historically a Republican state and even though the association has never backed a Democratic candidate, the state is after us. The general consensus for the last two years is that the state is union-busting."
MOA did not immediately respond to the St. Louis Record's request for comment.