Public Case No. R 1976-013
(Cross Reference R 1978-023)St. Louis Fire Fighters Association, Local 73, International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO v.
City of St. Louis, Missouri
IAFF filed a petition for all Fire Department employees of the City of St. Louis. The Board found that the position of Deputy Fire Chief was clearly supervisory, and excluded those employees. The Board also excluded the position of Fire Marshall due to a lack of community of interest with the other employees and due to its supervisory status. The Board also excluded the position of Battalion Fire Chief, despite the fact that they work the same shift and live in the same firehouse as the Fire Fighters. They noted that the Battalion Chief’s responsibility over the entire fire district with the direct authority to assign the work force. The Board concluded that Captains were not supervisory, and therefore, should be included in the bargaining unit. They noted the inability to effectively recommend personnel decision.
The Board included Equipment Dispatcher II in the bargaining unit as well, but excluded Equipment Dispatcher III. They determined that while Equipment Dispatcher II is clothed with some supervisory activities, they still have a sufficient community of interest with the other employees. Furthermore, Equipment Dispatcher II supervises few employees and spends a majority of their time working side by side those workers.
Finally, the Board included the position of Lieutenant because it exists only as an ordinance classification and as of the hearing had not been filed.
Date Issued:February 23, 1977