To my SLTA Sisters and Brothers,
My name is Steve Cichon, and I am running for SLTA President to usher in a new era of communication and fraternity in our union. You can read more about me and my qualifications at stevecichon.com
I’d be honored by your vote– and will work tirelessly alongside you to make our union something we can all be proud to call ours.
Together, we can bring in a new era for the SLTA, our member schools, and the teachers and faculty in our ranks.
By the end of the ‘24-’25 school year we will:
Make communication a priority:
We will have an SLTA website, similar to the websites for other NASCT-affiliated schools, with our union’s bylaws and contact information as well as our school’s contracts.
Catholic Teachers Union of New Jersey website
Association of Catholic Teachers (Philadelphia) website
This is truly easy enough: timonteachers.com is a Google Drive folder with our school’s contract, the SLTA constitution, slides from meetings, and other relevant materials that I have posted online.
Make fraternity a priority:
Important symbolically as much as in any practical sense, every SLTA member will be issued a membership card and have the opportunity to show pride in union through clothing, car magnets, coffee mugs, etc., as well as attend informative and useful meetings.
Hold a Constitutional Convention:
With all of our members together, we create a set of rules and structure that we can all agree to follow while also conforming to state and federal guidelines.
Work to bring new member schools to our ranks:
Catholic education is only as strong as its weakest example. We have a moral obligation to extend the opportunities we have in representation and collective bargaining to our brother and sister teachers in other Catholic schools.
Follow the rules that a union is supposed to follow:
Federal guidelines dictate that the SLTA follow our constitution and bylaws as written. We are also obligated to follow federal rules in the way we operate as a union. As teachers– we all know the importance of following directions and rules.
Read the SLTA Constitution here and the recently passed amendments here.
The STLA has been lacking in following directions and rules for many years– and offers the same kind of excuses we hear in our classrooms when expectations aren’t met. I pledge to not only follow the rules– but will invite those with questions and concerns to discuss those concerns, instead of paying lawyers thousands of dollars to work around you.
I’m asking for your vote so that together… we can usher in a new era for the SLTA.
Read more about Steve Cichon and his qualifications at stevecichon.com.