SHERMAN -- The McKinney police officers union is suing the city, alleging unconstitutional provisions in a recently ratified labor contract.
The McKinney Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 107 filed a lawsuit Oct. 7 in the Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas against the city of McKinney and the McKinney Police Association.
Since January 2010, Lodge 107 has been the union and bargaining agent for 53 police officers in McKinney. After the most recent contract negotiations ended, the lawsuit states, the police department distributed a summary of current and proposed contract provisions.
However, the suit says, changes to two important provisions of the contract—cessation of union dues checkoff and restricted access to bulletin boards--were excluded from that summary.
After the contract was ratified, the president of Lodge 107 contacted the interim city manager on several occasions to address the matter, the suit says. The lawsuit alleges the city manager refused to engage in any meaningful discussions about the matter.
The McKinney police ask the court to issue a declaration of both parties' rights and obligations, issue a preliminary and then a permanent injunction against both defendants, award attorney fees and court costs and grant any further relief deemed appropriate. The police are represented by attorneys Rod Tanner, Edith Thomas and Matt Pierce of Tanner and Associates in Fort Worth.
Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas Case number 4:15-cv-00689-ALM