In unanimous decision, police at Lambert International Airport vote to unionize

Police officers who work at St. Louis Lambert International Airport voted unanimously last Thursday, April 25, to unionize.

Jeff Roorda, business manager of the St. Louis Police Officers’ Association (SLPOA), said individual airport police officers had been members of the SLPOA for about five years. Last week’s vote means the union represents all 50 airport police officers at the rank of sergeant and below.

The city and SLPOA engaged in talks in 2014 to merge the airport police force with the city’s police department, but prolonged disputes over retirement benefits, pay and other matters delayed the move.

Negotiations stalled in late 2016 when the airport’s director, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, announced the naming of Bill Collins, a 34-year veteran of Lambert’s police department, as the agency’s new chief. That arrangement ended in June of last year, when Bill Collins, a 34-year veteran of Lambert’s police department, was named the agency’s new chief.