Another judge’s ruling favors East St. Louis cops. Will they finally get back pay?
A St. Clair County judge has ruled that the city of East St. Louis owes its police union $2.1 million in back pay, interest and legal fees, bringing officers closer to receiving the wages they have sought since 2016 despite years of legal delays and appeals.
St. Clair County Associate Judge Stacy Campbell’s decision supports a 2021 arbitration ruling by Jacalyn Zimmerman that awarded police union members $1.2 million in back pay and a 2 percent annual wage increase, retroactive to the prior contract’s expiration on Dec. 15, 2015. The additional $900,000 in interest and $27,000 in attorney fees bring the total owed to $2.1 million.
Zimmerman found all officers employed since the contract’s 2015 expiration—regardless of their current status—are entitled to a prorated share of the back pay.
David Amerson, an attorney for the Police Benevolent & Protective Association, the officers’ labor union, said he is pleased with the court ruling after a lengthy process that began when he took over the case in 2023.
The city has announced plans to appeal, but union members said such delays are not surprising after nearly a decade of stalled payments and negotiations. Former Union Lodge 126 president Robert Sallie called the city’s stalling tactics “totally unfair” and urged officials to comply with the court order.
Sallie credited the perseverance of union leadership and expressed hope that officers and their families might finally see overdue payments.
“They’ve spent almost 10 years, from 2016 until now, making sure the officers don’t get what they were supposed to get,” he said. “It shows they don’t want the officers who protect and serve their community to get anything. They stall so they don’t have to pay anything. Officers have died waiting on their money,” Sallie said.
“We are the officers who work to protect them and their families. If they call us, we have to respond. But, they don’t want to pay us what we are owed. Make it make sense to us.”
The city previously avoided a trial scheduled for Aug. 13 by agreeing to a $1.2 million settlement the day before. According to Amerson, the city failed to make payments specified in the settlement, triggering further legal action and additional interest. Half of the settlement was to be paid within two weeks, the remainder by December, but the union received no payment.
Several officers expressed frustration that city officials continue to be paid for their work while police wait for years for overdue wages. They noted that as first responders, officers must answer all calls, including those from public officials and their families, regardless of the dispute.
City Manager Robert Betts declined to comment, saying he had not discussed the case with the city’s attorneys.
Sallie and former officer Albert Harris said officers remain committed to providing public safety but want “what we worked for.”
Harris said he will not celebrate until payments are made.
“This should’ve been done a long time ago,” he said. “This is money they owe us just through 2019. They still owe us for 2020-2024.”
The union filed a petition to enforce the arbitration award in 2023, returning to court nearly a dozen times, Amerson said. The settlement agreement allows the union to seize certain city assets if officials continue to delay payments.
“When city leaders play games with frontline public servants, they diminish the safety and well-being of the entire community,” Amerson said.
Timeline of the Dispute
Dec. 31, 2015
- The collective bargaining agreement between the City of East St. Louis and its police department expires.
2019
- City and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) negotiate a new contract including 2% annual raises, retroactive to the end of the previous contract.
- The city council ultimately rejects this contract, citing severe financial constraints.
Aug. 2, 2021
- Court-appointed arbitrator Jacalyn Zimmerman rules that the city must honor the negotiated contract and provide the police with their raises and retroactive pay.
- The arbitrator’s decision is final and legally binding.
Oct. 8, 2021
- City and union attorneys negotiate a “settlement” addressing compensation, with the city proposing $148,830.52 in retroactive pay—an amount police believe is too low.
- The settlement allows 90 days for further negotiation over the total amount due.
Oct. 11, 2021
- The city council votes unanimously to approve the settlement, with City Manager Mayfield assuring that raises will take effect at the beginning of the new year.
Oct. 13–14, 2021
- Rank-and-file union members formally reject the settlement, asserting that the arbitrator’s award must be honored as is, without further negotiation.
- The union notifies the city that the arbitrator’s award is “final and binding.”
Feb. 2022
- Budget approval is delayed until February 15 due to weather.
- As of February 28, police paychecks still do not include the expected raises.
July 2023
- The Police Benevolent & Protective Association (PBPA)—the new police union—files a petition in St. Clair County court asking a judge to confirm the arbitration award and enforce payment. This action comes after repeated delays and failed attempts to resolve the dispute.
October 2023
- Frustrated by the ongoing delay, union members are outspoken about their grievances.
- The PBPA claims the city owes about $1.6 million in back pay and interest to officers, retirees, and surviving spouses, while the city continues to assert it only owes $148,000—a figure the union disputes due to lack of transparent calculations.
- The city has failed to provide adequate paperwork explaining its calculation of owed amounts.
- The court petition seeks not only the money awarded by the arbitrator, but also reasonable attorney’s fees and an itemized accounting for every impacted officer.
- The union president, Tia Mitchell, states that officers are “only asking for our just due” and expresses frustration that the city has forced them into court to obtain justice.
- The city attorney maintains the city’s willingness to settle “as soon as the union permits it,” but union leaders highlight their frustration with the lack of meaningful cooperation from the city.
Oct. 2025
- St. Clair County Associate Judge Stacy Campbel ruled that the city of East St. Louis owes its police union $2.1 million in back pay, interest and legal fees, bringing officers closer to wages they have sought since 2016 despite years of legal delays and appeals.
