(Breaux Bridge – May 11, 2010) By a unanimous vote, St. Martin Parish teachers and school employees who had been affiliate members of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers decided today to become a fully-chartered local chapter of the state’s largest teacher union.
Meeting in the Breaux Bridge library, the educators took a giant step toward self-determination by becoming the St. Martin Federation of Teachers and Support Personnel.
As affiliate members of the Federation’s Professional Educators Group, the St. Martin educators had access to many of the benefits of belonging to LFT and the American Federation of Teachers. As an empowered local chapter, they will have a greater role to play in the destiny of public education in the parish. The group is already seeking positions on school board committees which include employee representatives.
The St. Martin Federation is looking forward to making presentations at school board meetings and offering solutions to the problems faced by teachers and school employees in the parish, according to teacher April Benoit, who has served as organizing chairperson for the union.
A proposed constitution for the new local chapter is under review by the organization's constitution committee. The proposed constitution will be adopted during the back-to-school period in August with election of officers to follow in September.