The Archdiocese Declines to Recognize ACEE

The Archdiocese of St. Louis will continue to recognize only the Parish Teacher Compensation Committee as the negotiating organization for teachers in its parish elementary schools, Archbishop Raymond Burke said June 8.

An alternate group, the Association of Catholic Elementary Educators ACEE, has long sought to represent the teachers at Catholic elementary schools. ACEE Local 1312 is a union affiliated with the Carpenters District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity. The archdiocese has declined to recognize ACEE as a bargaining agent for teachers in its elementary schools.

This, no doubt, is a dissappointment for Catholic Action Network since ACEE is a group supported by them. What is CAN? Their website states:

An independent, authentic, and inclusive organization working for social justice within the Catholic Church, and in our world. Comprised of both lay and religious, the members of CAN seek to provide an active vehicle to put faith into action.

CAN is unique in St. Louis, filling a void as the only organization working on the following justice issues from a Catholic perspective:

• Justice for Women in the Catholic Church (JWCC): This committee advocates for full participation of women in all Catholic Church ministries, including the priesthood, while working with a guiding statement of being prayerful, respectful, and bold.

• CAN’s Labor and Religion committee is supporting the Association of Catholic Elementary Educators (ACEE) in their struggle to gain union recognition from the St. Louis Archdiocese.

The Review article continues:

On June 8 Archbishop Burke said, "What I will tell the pastors and principals (at the June 9 meetings) is that neither the archdiocese nor any parish of the archdiocese will recognize any organization other than the PTCC for the work of recommending teachers’ salaries" and other related issues.

"At the same time," Archbishop Burke said, "I will affirm the right of teachers to belong to any organization they want. They are free to belong to any organization, as long as it is not something contrary to the Catholic faith."

But the archdiocese and parishes will not recognize ACEE as the teachers’ negotiating body for salaries and benefits, the Archbishop stressed.

The entire St. Louis Review article is here.