CWA University Workers Stop Outsourcing

Workers at University of Tennessee campuses are celebrating a big victory over the governor's attempt to outsource all facilities management jobs.

Rallying around the message "Tennessee is Not for Sale," members of the United Campus Workers/CWA Local 3865 mobilized and worked with allies and a bipartisan group of state legislators to stop the attack on good jobs.

Governor Bill Haslam has been pushing a statewide contract with Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) to outsource jobs throughout Tennessee, trying to keep details a secret.

Last week, university officials at Knoxville, Memphis, Martin, and Chattanooga campuses all rejected the plan. Contrary to JLL's claims that the university campuses would save money, costs for the Chattanooga campus actually would increase if jobs were outsourced.

UCW Local President Diane Moyer said CWA members will continue to fight against the outsourcing contract at other universities, including East Tennessee State and Tennessee State.

"Today's news signals relief for the thousands of UT employees across the state whose jobs were imperiled by the plan," the local said. "Millions of square feet of real estate and tens of millions of dollars will stay in the public interest."

Legislators are continuing to fight back against this Haslam deal and are pushing for oversight of the plan.