Month: April 2024

Call Your Legislator NOW and tell them to KILL THESE BILLS
HB572, HB523, HB571, HB268, SB129, SB331, SB 292, HB712, SB264, SB263
Louisiana House: 225-342-6945
Louisiana Senate: 225-342-2040

Click Here for Names, Emails, and Direct Phone Numbers at the bottom of this page

Several legislative proposals currently threaten to eliminate professional dues deductions directly from your school district’s payroll. While similar deductions will continue for many other sectors, these changes could uniquely prevent you from conveniently managing your dues through payroll services.

Why is this happening in a Right-to-Work State, where joining or staying in an organization should strictly be a personal choice, free from coercion? It seems the legislative body aims to curtail this choice by proposing to strip away your ability to have dues automatically deducted from your paycheck. Their message is clear: they believe they should make decisions for you, not the other way around.

This is particularly concerning in districts without contracts, where your organization stands as your sole advocate and representative. Statistics confirm that employees who join organizations are more likely to remain within our districts, emphasizing the critical role of such memberships. Despite this, legislators are moving to prioritize the elimination of payroll deductions over supporting the workforce in an increasingly challenging environment.

Shockingly, this push is led by legislators from our own communities. What motivates this drive? Is it a personal vendetta or a thirst for control? Are they trying to intimidate us, or are they the ones feeling threatened?

Remember, this attack on our rights follows unsuccessful reforms from the Jindal Agenda of 2012. Instead of adjusting those reforms, our legislators seem intent on intensifying their efforts, disregarding the broader implications.

We are more than just individuals; we are a determined movement. The right to payroll deduction, granted by the Louisiana Legislature in the early 90s, is not just a convenience—it’s a statement of our autonomy. We refuse to be undermined or treated as pawns in their power games.

Let’s stand united from now until the end of the school year to safeguard our collective well-being and ensure our voices are heard loud and clear. Together, we can overcome these unnecessary and demeaning challenges.

Hear Directly from some of our members about this issue:

Tell these Legislators to VOTE AGAINST THESE BILLS
HB572, HB523, HB571, HB268, SB129, SB331, SB 292, HB712, SB264, SB263
Louisiana House: 225-342-6945
Louisiana Senate: 225-342-2040

Chairman Raymond Crews HD8 Bossier R crewsr@legis.la.gov (318) 716-7532
Vice Chair Dodie Horton HD9 Bossier R hortond@legis.la.gov (318) 949-2463
Member Dennis Bamburg HD5 Bossier, Caddo & Red River R hse005@legis.la.gov (318) 588-2014
Member Barbara Carpenter HD63 EBR D carpenterb@legis.la.gov (225) 771-5674
Member Tehmi Chassion HD44 Lafayette D hse004@legis.la.gov
Member Jason Dewitt HD25 Natchitoches & Rapides R hse025@legis.la.gov (318) 277-7475
Member Mike Echols HD14 Ouachita R hse014@legis.la.gov (318) 598-4010
Member Brian Gloriso HD90 St Tammany R hse090@legis.la.gov (985) 960-4251
Member Ed Larvadain HD26 Rapides D hse026@legis.la.gov (318) 487-5441
Member Dixon McMakin HD68 EBR R hse068@legis.la.gov (225) 384-0468
Member Michael Melerine HD6 Caddo R hse006@legis.la.gov (318) 553-2259
Member Shaun Mena HD23 Orleans D hse023@legis.la.gov (504) 396-4105
Member Tammy Phelps HD3 Caddo D hse003@legis.la.gov (318) 862-3080
Member Phillip Tarver HD36 Calcasieu R hse036@legis.la.gov (337) 475-8186
Member Joy Walter HD4 Caddo D hse004@legis.la.gov (318) 560-4059
Member Roger Wilder HD71 Livingston R hse071@legis.la.gov (225) 380-7160
Ex Officio Phillip DeVillier HD41 Acadia, Evangeline & St. Landry R devillierp@legis.la.gov (337) 457-0194
Ex Officio Mike Johnson HD27 Rapides R hse027@legis.la.gov (318) 487-5377

ON THE SIDE OF ANGELS – To be on the side of the angels means to make a conscious choice to do what is right, what is fair, what is compassionate, what is good.

When it comes to public education and ensuring we are able to provide that opportunity to every boy and girl, would you agree how you vote might just say whose side you are on?

Some politicians never make us wonder whose side they are on. They just always understand the importance of public education to our society. Their importance cannot be overstated. They are the glue, the bedrock, they do not waiver as they hold and preserve this institution. They are truly on the side of the angels.

Take the Bossier School Board and the majority of our Caddo School Board, they both passed resolutions opposing Education Savings Accounts. These accounts will take public funding to create scholarships for private schools.

Bossier’s was unanimous and Caddo’s was a split vote.  We all must especially thank one Caddo board member, Barry Rachal, who was clearly on the side of the angels. While it was clear he felt he could face repercussions for his vote by his affiliated party, he sided with our public schools. He based his vote on the inequity of holding public schools to accountability standards while not demanding the same from private schools.

When this came to the Legislature HB 745, we saw who sided with our public schools, our communities, our educators.  Larry Bagley refused to waiver, yield or bend.  Our only local legislators who stood up were Representative Bagley and our ever faithful servant, Representative Tammy Phelps.

Below is how our local legislators voted.

What happened to the rest?  We can guess on some, but on others the evidence is plain.  Take our newly elected legislator who took thousands upon thousands of dollars from a group who supported giving away public dollars to private schools. Her allegiance to them was more important as she literally voted to take dollars from her public schools in her district, her community and place them in scholarships for private schools. 

 Finally,  are we on the side of the angels? Did we vote for politicians who support us, who support our public schools? Or did we vote for the ones who are literally attempting to undermine the world of public education- Our World? Or did we not vote at all and just stayed home? Please find all of Red River United members on the side of the angels.