St. Louis Firefighters IAFF Local 73 is proud to announce a major legal victory that not only affirms the rights of our members but also restores critical leadership and stability to the Fire Department. Following a recent court ruling, a judge confirmed what union members have argued for nearly four years: the City of St. Louis wrongfully denied firefighter promotions and engaged in intentional misconduct, jeopardizing both firefighter safety and public safety.

The crisis began in January 2022, when the Director of Public Safety abruptly halted all promotions. As vacancies mounted and leadership positions went unfilled, the operational strain on the Department intensified. Recognizing the harm being done, members took action. Brother Eveland spearheaded the initial effort, and Local 73 quickly stepped in to support the Brothers and Sisters whose careers, and safety, were being directly impacted.

In October 2023, former Mayor Tishaura Jones appointed Deputy Chief Charles Coyle as Interim Director of Public Safety and later made him permanent. Having risen through the ranks of the Fire Department, Director Coyle was expected to understand the dangers of operating without adequate command staff and to recognize the risks posed to both firefighters and the public. Despite those expectations, the promotion freeze remained in place, and the leadership gaps persisted.

Local 73 President Clark said, “As the plaintiffs pursued resolution through the courts, the membership did just what you would expect us to do. We organized, stood together, and worked to change the political landscape in hopes of a more favorable administration that would stand with firefighter safety.”

At the heart of the case was a 2017 Settlement Agreement between F.I.R.E. and the City of St. Louis, of which Local 73 is a third-party beneficiary. The case also raised serious questions regarding executive authority within the Fire Department and who ultimately has the authority to halt promotions.

While those issues remained unresolved, the City initiated a new testing process. Recognizing that a new eligibility list could fill the very positions sought by the plaintiffs, they petitioned the court for a Temporary Restraining Order to prevent the City from filling those vacancies from the new list. One month later, the TRO was converted into a Preliminary Injunction, intended to maintain the status quo and protect the positions at issue until the case was resolved.

In December 2024, the plaintiffs and Local 73 returned to court seeking clarification of the injunction, making clear that promotions from the new list could proceed for positions not preserved by the injunction.

The plaintiffs and Local 73 ultimately waived their right to a jury trial and opted for a bench trial in hopes of a faster resolution, with a court date set for late July 2025.

As the case progressed, rumors circulated that the plaintiffs were rejecting settlement offers and intentionally prolonging the process. In reality, no meaningful settlement offer was ever made. Later discussions stalled due to unreturned phone calls and emails that went unanswered for days at a time.

On New Year’s Eve, after months of deliberation, Judge Joseph Whyte issued his ruling siding with the firefighters. The 45-page decision had potential to cost the City more than $1.1 million in back pay for lost wages stemming from the February 2022 promotion freeze. There was also the possibility that the Defendants would have to pay the firefighters’ multi-year legal fees, writing that there was “sufficient evidence” Defendants “engaged in intentional and reckless misconduct by unlawfully halting promotions.”

With the ruling fresh from the court, settlement talks resumed, this time with more reasonable offers on the table. As they deliberated, the group chose to think more globally about how this impacted not just them but the City and the Department as a whole, which is the exact attitude one would expect from future leadership.

Understanding that prolonged negotiations and waiting for the courts to determine the full monetary award would only further delay promotions and potentially open the door to an appeal, the plaintiffs chose to act in the best interest of the Department. To ensure the most expeditious resolution, they made concessions, accepting a settlement that put less money back in their own pockets, leaving money on the table so promotions could finally move forward and firefighters could return their full focus to keeping St. Louis safe.

Returning to the scene of the crime, so to speak, the City and the Department hosted promotions for 8 Battalion Chiefs and 19 Captains today in the Rotunda at City Hall.  Mayor Cara Spencer thanked the firefighters and acknowledged the long overdue promotions: “I am grateful for the vital work that you do every day, the dangerous work that you do every day, and the important work that you do every day.  I know that it isn't easy. Each of you have earned this promotion a  long time ago. You've worked hard, you risked your lives, your health and well-being, and you've proven yourselves as leaders.”

Before today, the Department was operating with a critical shortage of nearly 30 Captains and 11 Battalion Chiefs, the equivalent of an entire shift of Captains and two full shifts of Battalion Chiefs.  The next wave of promotions from the newly established list is slated for sometime in the next few weeks to fill the rest of the vacancies.

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