Take Action

Dear Colleagues:

As I am sure you are aware, the special session called by Governor Edwards began a few days ago.  And for those of you who follow political activities, the predictable pushing and shoving between the political parties (and various special interest groups) is on full display.  (Such is the nature of politics.)

Without belaboring all of that in this message, I simply want to let you know that the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, with which the UFCT is affiliated, is actively involved in monitoring and supporting our welfare during this special session.  While it is impossible

Louisiana faces a lot of problems in this legislative session.

But unions that represent the voices of teachers, school employees, firefighters, police officers and other public servants aren't one of them.

Please click here to learn more and send your newspaper a letter opposing schemes to silence the voices of public employees.

Make your views known to those in Congress and state legislatures who represent you on the issues that affect working families every day.  Visit the AFT's Take Action page.

• Contact Legislative and Political Director Mary-Patricia Wray
• Louisiana Legislature
• Louisiana Department of Education
• AFT Legislative Action Center

Next week, BESE will meet determine how large of a raise will be included in their MFP proposal. Join me in asking BESE to pass a raise of at least $4,000.

On Monday, the MFP Task Force voted to include a $2,000 raise for teachers and $1,000 for school support staff, but we need to push BESE for more. This year, Arkansas is proposing a $10,000 raise, which would bring the minimum teacher pay to $50,000/year. Florida is proposing record spending for education, including raising the starting pay for teachers to $65,000/year. Texas has proposed a $15,000 pay raise for teachers and a 25% increase for support staff. Last year, Alabama passed a raise nearly $2,000 larger than what was passed in Louisiana and Mississippi approved an increase averaging over $5,000.

Louisiana can not afford to fall further behind the Southern Regional Average. Our schools can not continue on this path, we need our elected leaders to take action NOW.

Everyone deserves a secure retirement, especially those who devoted their career to public service. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) threatens that by substantially reducing or eliminating the EARNED social security benefits of the millions of retired teachers and public employees who contributed to Social Security through other employment. Thousands more are penalized every year as they retire from public service because their state, municipality, or school district does not participate in the Social Security system.

This unfair penalty also contributes to the current teacher and educator shortages, as it serves as a disincentive for those looking to join the ranks of teachers as a second career when they learn that the WEP-GPO penalty will jeopardize their earned Social Security benefits if they enter the classroom.

Click here to sign the petition.

LFT Action Center lets you speak out on important issues with a simple click of a mouse button.

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