Satterley v. City of Flint

Plaintiffs, employees of the fire department of Flint, brought a class suit for compensation, claiming they should have been paid for 63 hours per week instead of 44 because of an amendment to the city charter, adopted October 23, 1951. The trial judge granted them judgments in excess of $3,000,000. The defendant city appeals.

The city of Flint charter was adopted in 1929 and then provided that the compensation of city employees should be prescribed by the city commission. In 1935 a civil service amendment was added to the charter and the principle was set up that:

“Like classifications of work…