Many La. teachers in unions
“We do not do collective bargaining and we really promote the teacher as a professional and look for ways to strengthen the teacher in the classroom.” Suzanne Harris, executive director of A+PEL
Officials of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, which is one of the state’s two largest teacher unions, said Monday that they represent about 16,000 public school teachers, or about 33 percent of those in the classroom.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said they have about 20,000 members but declined to spell out how many classroom teachers that includes.
“It is proprietary information,” said Michael Walker-Jones, executive director of the LAE, which represents current and retired teachers, support personnel and some higher education employees.
And leaders of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana say that about 5,200 teachers belong to their group, which calls itself a professional organization rather than a traditional union.
That means at least 21,200 of Louisiana’s roughly 48,000 public school teachers belong to teacher groups — 44 percent — and about two thirds when LAE members are added, officials said.
All three organizations will be part of the debate over Gov. Bobby Jindal’s plans to make sweeping changes in public schools, including new ways to pay teachers and evaluate their job performance.
Jindal’s agenda will be a key topic during the 2012 regular legislative session, which begins on March 12.
The LFT and LAE are among the leading critics of the governor’s plan.
The LFT’s website says Jindal’s plans would destroy the teacher salary schedule, endanger a form of job protection known as tenure, “radically” expand the use of vouchers for students to attend private and religious schools and impose more state control over local school districts.
Les Landon, director of public relations for the LFT, said the group has about 21,000 members, including nearly 16,000 who are classroom teachers and the rest who are clerical, maintenance, custodial and other workers.
Louisiana is a right to work state, which means employees cannot be forced to join a union as a condition of employment.
However, collective bargaining agreements exist in seven school districts, which outline working conditions, salaries, benefits and other issues.
The LFT has collective bargaining agreements in the St. Tammany and Jefferson school systems, Landon said.
The LAE has such agreements in the St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Vermilion, St. Bernard and Bogalusa school systems, according to Walker-Jones.
The LFT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers. The LAE is connected with the National Education Association.
While the LFT and LAE are often aligned on key education issues, A+PEL is considered more likely to back some of Jindal’s school plans.
“We are definitely the non-union group,” said Suzanne Harris, executive director of A+PEL.
Holly Boffy, of Youngsville, a former A+PEL official, was backed by Jindal last year in her successful race for the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Boffy has called for an end to teacher tenure, a position that is at sharp odds with the LFT and LAE.
Harris said her group has about 7,000 members, including roughly 5,200 who are classroom teachers.
“We do not do collective bargaining and we really promote the teacher as a professional and look for ways to strengthen the teacher in the classroom,” Harris said.