UTNO joins our voices with other labor unions across the country to call loudly for a ceasefire as part of the National Labor Network for Ceasefire.

The overwhelming majority of educators at LFNO have already expressed their intent to form a Union with the United Teachers of New Orleans. If the board of LFNO decides not to voluntarily recognize their union, the election conducted by the NLRB will give staff the opportunity to finalize that decision without delay.

Morris Jeff United Educators Ratify their third Collective Bargaining Agreement with Morris Jeff Community School

Contract includes new paid parental leave, substantial raises, and improvements to educators' quality of life.

NEW ORLEANS, LA － On Tuesday December 19, Morris Jeff United Educators, a chapter of the United Teachers of New Orleans, signed their newest collective bargaining agreement with Morris Jeff Community School.  The Contract was ratified by the MJCS Board on Monday, December 11 and by the Union on Wednesday, December 13. 80% of Union members voted, with 98% in support of ratification. This is the third contract between the Union and the school, and was negotiated over the course of the calendar year.

On Friday, the Policy and Planning Board of the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits (OGB) met to consider a proposed rate hike. Increasing rates would result in added health insurance costs for teachers and school employees across the state, along with other public employees.

LFT sent out an action alert as soon as news of the meeting was made public. In less than 24 hours, thousands of teachers and school employees wrote to the board, asking them to vote ‘no’ on the proposed increase to the cost of their insurance.

LFT Legislative and Political Director Cynthia Posey spoke before the Board on Friday, relaying the concerns of our members and asking the board members to oppose any rate hikes this year. While we fully recognize the importance of having a stable, well-funded account balance that will ensure reliable insurance coverage for our members, we oppose efforts to unnecessarily increase costs. Currently, the OGB fund is well above target rates. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor recommends that the OGB fund balance should be roughly $275 million. Currently, it sits at $430.8 million. This is money that state agencies and state employees, like teachers and school employees, have paid into the system.

The AFT has always been a solutions-driven union, and our new campaign, launched during TEACH on July 21, proves it once again with a fresh, practical approach to strengthening public education. As AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out during her keynote speech, the $5 million, yearlong campaign, “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” stands up against attacks on public schools and offers real-world solutions to build up, rather than break down, our communities.