BAE United

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, Bricolage Academy Educators won their union election 42-18. The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board at the school this morning. The teachers, collectively known as Bricolage Academy Educators United (BAE-United), voted to affiliate with United Teachers of New Orleans (UTNO). 

“We’re feeling overjoyed that after 2 years of organizing we finally have a recognized union!” said Brittany Scofield, a Bricolage Academy music teacher. “ Our union will help promote equity and democracy in the workplace. Teacher working conditions are student learning conditions, and now that we have a real voice, we will help make decisions that benefit our students.” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 20, 2021

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, teachers at Bricolage Academy filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election for union recognition. The overwhelming majority of Bricolage employees have already expressed their intent to form a Union with the United Teachers of New Orleans, and this election will give staff the opportunity to finalize that decision.

These educators, collectively known as Bricolage Academy Educators United (BAE United), submitted their petition to the school’s Board of Directors over a month ago, asking them to voluntarily recognize their Union. After multiple overtures and weeks of waiting, the Board of Directors has yet to respond to the group’s requests for a meeting.

Please take a moment and share an email of support with our school board members.  We have provided you with some sample messages or please feel free to create your own.  

Bricolage board email address are:

If you’d like to send the email to all of the board members simultaneously...

Some people might wonder, what are the goals of BAE United? The leadership at Bricolage has open doors to employees who wish to voice concerns. While we are grateful for that type of leadership, we want to secure equity and formalized methods for collaboration for Bricolage employees present and future. Leadership can change, but a recognized Union with Collective Bargaining has lasting power. 

We have come together as Bricolage Academy Educators United so that we can have the power to speak up for what we need as professional educators and what our students need in the classroom. Through our collective power as a union, we will be able to negotiate with our administration over the terms and conditions of our work lives -- to have an equal seat at the table as decisions are made. The only way to guarantee that we have a voice in these decisions is through the collective bargaining process.

After we win union recognition, we will begin negotiations with the administration over a first contract. At that point the administration is legally required to meet with us regularly and bargain in good faith. We will start by surveying everyone in the unit to understand our priorities, we will elect a bargaining committee to sit at the table and bargain the contract. We, alone, will set the priorities for negotiations. This won’t be a quick process, but rather an opportunity to be mindful and deliberate as we map out a vision for the future. 

I love my kids. Teaching preschool special education students is something that others might find challenging, but I find them inspiring. These kids are the underdogs, the forgotten people. They’re the ones that people think can't do, but they do. They strive and open up and grow, just like any other child. To be successful in this work, you just have to have a passion for what you do, and most of our teachers have a passion for what they do. And that’s why we come together in our Union -- that passion.