New Orleans residents, unions and advocacy groups urge council to oppose state constitutional amendment to make future state employees 'at will'

City Hall — Dozens of residents and labor advocates asked the New Orleans City Council on Thursday to publicize and oppose a state constitutional amendment that would remove civil service protections for future state employees.

The measure, discussed in public comment as “LSB 8,” was described by speakers as a resolution that placed a constitutional amendment on the April ballot to make future state employees “at will.” Nadia Carr, who introduced the item during the council’s public-comment period, said the amendment would not strip protections retroactively but would make new hires at the state level ineligible for civil-service protections going forward.

Speakers said the change would increase political firing, threaten benefits and reconstruct…