USW Mourns Loss of District 13 Staff Representative Brent Petit

USW District 13 Staff Representative Brent Petit was killed Dec. 27, 2017 in a six-vehicle crash on U.S. 90 in St. Charles Parish, La. He was 59.

“Brent was an incredible trade unionist who did everything he could to help others,” said Kim Nibarger, chair of the union’s National Oil Bargaining Program (NOBP). “He was a very nice, kind man; you could always count on him. He will truly be missed.”

Petit began his involvement in the labor movement as an OCAW Local 4-447 (now USW 447) shop steward at Cytec. He then became chair of the Workers Committee, vice president of Local 447, and then president. He also was an executive board member of the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO, Thibodeaux Central Labor Council, and Louisiana State AFL-CIO. In addition, he was the legislative representative for the USW District 13 council.

After retiring from a 33-year career at Cornerstone Chemical Company in Jefferson Parish, La., he became a District 13 staff representative in April 2016. Members of the Staff Representatives Union (SRU) elected him to be a District 13 steward and member of the SRU executive board.

Petit was a native and resident of Luling, La., and active in the River Parish community. He encouraged local companies to donate to the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area and to support its programs. He also helped create the River Parish Transit Authority to bring public transportation to River Parish communities, and served as its board chairman.

Petit is survived by his wife Franziska Lendle Petit; sons Jacques Anton Petit and Rene Alceste Petit; father Stanley Bernard Petit; brother Scott James Petit (Barbara) and many nieces and nephews.

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