TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Sep 17, 2025

The city of Memphis, in a countersuit from a legal fight with the Memphis Fire Fighters Association, claimed city employees do not have "the right or authority to collectively bargain with the city" and requested a chancellor invalidate all of the city's agreements with its unions, the Commercial Appeal reports. The countersuit was filed Aug. 20, expanding the named respondents from just the firefighters union to the Memphis Police Association. In its filing, the city argues that past agreements were only valid under Mayor Paul Young, who signed them during his time in office and contends no state or federal law grants the authority to enter binding collective bargaining agreements. The police union has asked the court to strike the city’s filing, while its attorney, Deborah Godwin, described the move as a “scorched earth approach” and a potential act of retaliation. The case is currently being appealed before the Tennessee Court of Appeals.