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Agreement between St. Tammany Parish School Board and employees’ union up in the air
By Jordan Lippincott,
4 days ago
COVINGTON, La. ( WGNO ) — The St. Tammany Parish School Board will vote on a resolution to reopen negotiations with the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees.
The vote will take place during Thursday’s school boarding meeting.
Around a week prior to the vote, most school board members refused to adopt the union’s collective bargaining agreement.
“The board went with replacing the CBA with the handbook, which is not something that had been previously discussed,” explained Brant Osborn, the president of St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees. “The superintendent indicated he wasn’t even quite sure what that would be in the aftermath of that, and it was such a devastating impact on employees in the larger community.”
According to Osborn, the primary role of the federation is to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. However, he further mentioned that unions are oftentimes politicized.
District 12 School Board Member Michelle Hirstius says it’s time to take politics out of it.
“It was building more of that trust that [employees] needed with the board and with this administration, so I’m going to support that, regardless of what my politics are, regardless of what my opinion is,” said Hirstius. “That is what I’m going to support until we build that trust with them.”
Hirtstius also agrees the alternative, an all-encompassing handbook, wasn’t the right solution either.
The school board member says some employees were concerned a handbook didn’t guarantee protections.
“Until we build that trust with them, I’m going to vote for what they need and what they want,” said Hirtstius. “Is it 100% what I believe in? Probably not, but I’m going to do what’s best for my employees right now.”
The federation is hopeful the resolution will pass.
“So, I didn’t want to think about the alternative, but here we are with no CBA at this point, no strike clause,” said Osborn. “The public’s calling for us to strike at this point.”
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 18 at the school board office on N. Theard Street in Covington.
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