Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1979-03-30

Duration: 00:28:25

Subjects: Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1979 | Filmed panel discussions | Journalists | TEACHERS | East Baton Rouge Parish (La.). School Board. | COLLECTIVE BARGAINING | Unions | Teachers' unions | Public employee strikes | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1979 | Louisiana. Legislature | Arbitration | State employee pay raises | STATE BUDGET | Long, Gillis William, 1923-1985 | Elections, 1979 | Henry, E. L. "Bubba" | Edwards, Edwin W. | Political campaigns | Campaign advertising | Strikes | Labor | Politics | Campaign Finance

Contributors:

• Blome, Ron Host
• L'Herisson, Sandra Photographer
• Jackson, Lyle Photographer
• Fourrier, Clay Photographer
• Blome, Ron Reporter
• Blome, Ron Editor
• George, Beth Producer
• Wolf, Thom Director
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Hill, John Panelist
• Brightbill, Roy Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from March 30, 1979, features Ron Blome leading a panel discussion with capitol reporters Roy Brightbill of United Press International and John Hill of the Shreveport Times and Monroe Morning World.  They discuss: the strike by teachers in East Baton Rouge Parish and the importance of the issue of collective bargaining in the dispute between teachers and the School Board; major issues of the upcoming legislative session, including either a prohibition on strikes by public employees or the establishment of a binding arbitration procedure to settle disputes, state employee pay raises, and how to spend the budget surplus; the effect of Congressman Gillis Long’s decision to not run for governor on the 1979 gubernatorial election; the disagreements between Speaker of the House Bubba Henry, a gubernatorial candidate, and Governor Edwin Edwards; Louisiana voters not being issue-oriented, as evidenced by the current campaign advertisements; and Louisiana’s campaign finance law.  The discussion was preceded by footage from a press conference with Governor Edwards addressing the need for a prohibition of strikes by public employees.