CANTON -- The New York State United Teachers union and support staff at St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES are organizing an informational picket Thursday in support of contract negotiations of a new union unit with BOCES.

“We want to show that the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Non-Instructional Support Staff Association (NISSA) has public support and unity with and support from our labor brothers and sisters,” said NISSA President Deborah Champagne.

The picket, planned for between 4:30 and 6 p.m. at BOCES administrative offices at 40 W. Main Street.

“This is not a protest. It’s simply a demonstration of support of these workers by local residents, taxpayers and other members of organized labor,” said Mike Zagrobelny of the NYSUT Potsdam office.

“Since we are negotiating our first contract from the ground up there will be many working conditions and member benefit items to discuss and negotiate,” Champagne said.

The union is reluctant to discuss specifics to maintain the integrity of the negotiations, Zagrobelny said.

“We’ve reached out to all NYSUT locals and other organized groups in the area” to lend support, Zagrobelny said.

The new bargaining unit consists of people at the Education Services Center in Canton, at the technical centers in Norwood, Ogdensburg and Fowler, and elsewhere.

The unit ratified their constitution and bylaws in a vote Feb. 9 and were drawing up a list of points they would bring up in contract talks.

But negotiations “are stuck and we want to demonstrate that the community is behind these folks,” Zagrobelny said.

Champagne said the last meeting with BOCES management was on Sept. 14. Their next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 20.