Every candidate on Columbia’s April council ballot expected to attend Saturday forum hosted by union

By Brian Hauswirth
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The Laborers Local 955 says the city of Columbia is reluctant to bargain in good faith with labor unions.

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Members of Laborers’ Local 955 protested outside city hall during the Columbia city manager’s state of the city address (May 31, 2023 file photo from 939 the Eagle’s Brian Hauswirth)

Laborers Local 955, which represents service and maintenance workers as well as public works and utility workers in Columbia, will be hosting Saturday afternoon’s candidate forum for Columbia’s three mayoral candidates, the two fourth ward council candidates and for Jacque Sample, who is unopposed in April for the third ward.

Laborers Local 955 says Saturday’s forum is at 1 pm at 404 Tiger lane and will focus on issues for union workers like wages, benefits and working conditions. LiUNA union representative Andrew Hutchinson says his members need to know how the candidates will support what he calls essential workers who keep Columbia running. The Laborers union has said that Columbia has a staffing crisis.

Columbia mayor Barbara Buffaloe will face two challengers in April: journalism professor Tanya Heath and businessman Blair “Murph” Murphy, who owns Johnston Paint and Decorating. All three mayoral candidates plan to attend. Fourth Ward councilman Nick Foster is being challenged by Ron Graves, who works as Truman VA Hospital’s chief of the center for Development and Civic Engagement. Councilman Foster and Graves are both scheduled to attend, as is Sample. Columbia third ward council member Roy Lovelady is not seeking a second term in April. He’ll be replaced by Sample, who chairs the city’s disability commission.