WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on Nobel Peace Prize recipients:

“There are no two people more deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize than Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai and India’s Kailash Satyarthi. Their courageous efforts in fighting for universal education and protecting children from exploitation and abuse are making our world a better place for generations to come. The right to an education is too often taken for granted. Malala and Kailash’s work reminds us that much still needs to be accomplished to ensure that all children, regardless of gender, family income, religion or homeland, are able to go to school and have the chance to reach their God-given potential.”

Caddo Parish wants to know what you think about their plan: “Re-Imagine Caddo: The Plan for Excellence.”

We get lots of calls at Red River United, and here are just a few sentiments we’d like to share about the real Caddo experience:

• Robbed of the joy of teaching
• Head under water
• Beaten down
• Tearful
• Bullied
• Degraded
• No morale left at school
• Intimidated
• This is my last year.

We challenge Caddo to stop the mean girl mentality that hurts kids and hurts teachers.

We challenge Caddo to reclaim the joy in public education!

We encourage all employees to fill out the survey, and to fill it out honestly. The survey is anonymous.

Fill Out Survey Here

October 7, 2014

To:  All Affiliated and Unaffiliated Local Unions, Officers and Delegates

Remind your family and friends that we need their support and encourage them to vote Tuesday, November 4, 2014.  Reminder:  Take your photo identification with you to the polls.  Please vote early.

Early Voting for the Tuesday, November 4, 2014 Election:  Tuesday, October 21, 2014 – Tuesday, October 28  (Closed Sunday, October 26)  8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. each day at the Registrar of Voters office, 525 Marshall Street, Suite 103 in downtown Shreveport across from the courthouse.  Bring your photo ID to Early Voting.

Early voting starts October 21st- 28th 2014 (Closed Sunday, October 26th)

You do not need a reason to vote early! All voters may vote early, just like they are voting on Election Day. Voters who want to vote early for any election may do so in person at their parish registrar of voters office or at designated locations in the parish from 14 days to seven days prior to any scheduled election. Refer to the schedule below for early voting time periods for upcoming elections and refer to the schedule of elections for future time periods.

Use the Louisiana Voter Portal to find where you vote on Election Day; download the free GeauxVote app to your smartphone or tablet to view your polling place for Election Day; visit GeauxVote; call your parish registrar of voters office; or view your polling location on your voter information card received by mail from your registrar of voters.

Click here for the Central Trades and Labor Council, AFL-CIO and Red River United’s endorsements. Also, Red River United is CONSTANTLY monitoring candidate’s public statements at other school board forums that may reflect their changing positions on issues. Watch out webpage for updates by our COPE Committee (Committee on Political Education).

Central Trades and Labor Council of Shreveport and Vicinity (CTLC), AFL-CIO and the Committee on Political Education (COPE) have taken the following positions on School Board  Candidates that will be on the November 4, 2014 ballot.

Bossier Parish School Board Candidates

District 3

Tammy Armer Smith – Endorsed

District 4

William “Bill” Lott – Endorsed

District 9

Eddy Ray Presley – Endorsed

Red River Parish School Board Candidate

Gary Giddens – Endorsed

The Louisiana AFL-CIO has taken the following positions on Candidates that will be on the       November 4, 2014 ballot.

Labor-Endorsed Congressional Candidates

1. S. Senator Mary Landrieu #5
2. S. Representative 2nd District Cedric Richmond
3. S. Representative 5th District Jamie Mayo #31
4. S. Representative 6th District Edwin Edwards

The Louisiana AFL-CIO has taken the following positions on Proposed Constitutional Amendments that will be on the November 4, 2014 ballot.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

Amendment #1:  Do you support an amendment to authorize the legislature to create the Louisiana Medical Assistance Trust Fund, for the payment of Medicaid reimbursement to the health care provider groups paying fees into the fund?     YES, we are FOR this.

Amendment #2:  Do you support an amendment to create the Hospital Stabilization Fund to stabilize and protect Medicaid reimbursements for health care services by depositing assessments paid by hospitals, as authorized by the legislature, into a fund to support Louisiana hospital reimbursement?     YES, we are FOR this.

Amendment #5:  Do you support an amendment to remove the constitutional requirement that a judge retire upon attaining the age of seventy or, if his seventieth birthday occurs during his term, that he retire upon completion of that term?     YES, we are FOR this.

Amendment #6:  Do you support an amendment to authorized the governing authority of Orleans Parish to increase the annual millage rate levied for fire and police protection, to require that the revenue from the fire and police protections, to require that the revenue from the fire and police millages be used for fire and police department enhancements, and to require that any increase be approved by the voters of Orleans Parish?          YES, we are FOR this.

Amendment #13:  Do you support an amendment to authorize the governing authority of the City of New Orleans to sell at a price fixed by the legislature property located in the Lower Ninth Ward of the City of New Orleans?     YES, we are FOR this.

Amendment #14:  Do you support an amendment to provide that legislation relative to tax rebates, tax incentives, and tax abatements may not be introduced or considered by the legislature in a regular session held in an even-numbered year?     YES, we are FOR this.

Please remind your members early voting starts October 21st- 28th 2014 (Closed Sunday , October 26th)

Update on the Office of Group Benefits

Are you recieving healthcare from the Office of Group Benefits? The Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees is fighting hard to kee us updated on possible 47% increase in the cost of your healthcare benefits. Read more here.  This pertains to employees in Red River Parish.

SLT STRATEGIES:

Realistic Goals, Accurate Outcomes

Join us for a FREE webinar

You may join us at the Red River United office (1726 Line Avenue, Shreveport) or view the webinar from a personal computer.

October 9, 2014

5:00 PM

Register now!

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1367765338665767682

Dear educator,

As you may know, Student Learning Targets (SLTs) comprise half of your overall evaluation score. Your final score will have an impact on your tenure, salary and job security. For these very fundamental reasons it is important that you master the art of writing an accurate SLT!

This Webinar is designed to walk you through the process of writing an SLT, identifying alterations to suggested SLTs, requesting modifications, and meeting with your evaluator. No two classes are alike therefore no two SLTs should look alike!

Red River United is dedicated to ensuring that every educator gets the highly effective score they deserve. Join us next Thursday, October 9th at 5:00PM for an interactive SLT Webinar. Even if you have already submitted your SLT paperwork this class contains important information on possible future revisions.

Registration is required.

HOUSTON—The nation’s first anti-bullying policy for school employees was announced today in Houston, an effort initiated by Houston educational support workers, developed collaboratively with school administration and now part of the district’s standards of conduct for all employees.

The groundbreaking policy was announced at an event in which American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten honored Houston Educational Support Personnel President Wretha Thomas, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier and HISD Board of Education President Juliet Stipeche for their collaborative work.
“Bullying by anyone is unacceptable and this policy states very clearly that everyone deserves to work in an environment that’s civil, respectful and safe,” Weingarten said. Current HISD policy prohibits bullying by students.

Thomas said the policy comes after a decade of reports of bullying among employees, resulting in some frustrated employees quitting.

“We saw a problem and realized we had to not only acknowledge it but fix it,” said Thomas. “Frankly, it could only be effective if we developed the policy through labor-management collaboration and if there was district buy-in to enforce the policy.”

The policy defines bullying as engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct in the workplace that harms an employee or his or her property; creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive environment; exploits an imbalance of power; or interferes with someone’s job or the operation of the work location.

The AFT’s “See a Bully, Stop a Bully: Make a Difference” campaign partners with educators, school leaders, community and advocacy groups to recognize, prevent and combat bullying. The purpose is to raise awareness and provide resources to educators, students and parents.
Weingarten was in Houston as part of her back-to-school visits, highlighting how educators and school staff are leading efforts to reclaim the promise of public education. In Houston, she visited Middle College High School at Houston Community College.