Former JFT President Joe Potts, center, received the Pioneer Award from LFT President Steve Monaghan, left, and JFT President Meladie Munch.
Longtime union leader Joe Potts received the Pioneer Award from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers at the LFT's 45th annual convention in Kenner. The award is presented annually to individuals who, over the years, made major contributions to the growth and influence of the LFT.
Potts served as president of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers for 21 years, from 1988 until 2009. For 11 years before that, from 1977-1988, he served as JFT’s High School Vice-President. On behalf of the Jefferson Federation, he successfully negotiated seven collective bargaining contracts for the teachers of Jefferson Parish Public Schools. Upon the completion of his last term as JFT President, he was named the union’s President Emeritus.
He began his career in 1974 at West Jefferson High School, where he taught for 14 years, until his election as JFT President. A 1969 graduate of East Jefferson High School, Potts has a degree from Nicholls State University and is a graduate of Fundamentals of Money Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Potts currently serves as Executive Vice-President of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the JFT Health and Welfare Fund, and an appointed member of the American Federation of Teachers Program and Policy Council. In addition, he is a member of many Jefferson Parish School Board committees; an elected member of the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Executive Board, an elected Vice-President of the Louisiana AFL-CIO.
He has been active in the community through his involvement as a guest speaker or panelist at civic group meetings, including the East Bank Chamber of Commerce, the UNO Business Higher Education Council and Kiwanis Club meetings.
He is a member of the East Jefferson High School Alumni Association and the Nicholls State University Alumni Association. In January 1995, Joe received the Certificate of Merit from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Task force for Outstanding Community Service.