TSEU Coalition Works to "Save Our Community" at University of Texas

Members of TSEU, CWA Local 6186, march to the state capitol, then lobby legislators to keep state services, higher education and good jobs.

Below: Members of the Save Our Community coalition protest privatization at the University of Texas.

The Save Our Community coalition, representing student organizations, faith groups, local non-profit organizations and the Texas State Employees Union, CWA Local 6186, is protesting a University of Texas proposal to privatize and outsource campus services and downsize staff.

At a news conference on April 30, several speakers noted that the proposal was the brainchild of Accenture, which has a poor track record when it comes to providing services that serve the community.

TSEU has extensive experience with Accenture, which in 2005 signed a nearly $900 million contract with the state to do the eligibility determinations for services like health care for poor children. The result: 27,000 poor children lost or were denied health care and 2,700 public workers lost their jobs. Finally, the state had to admit it had made a huge mistake, but only after paying Accenture an additional $246 million settlement, said Anne Lewis, a TSEU executive board member.

Earlier in April, nearly 1,000 TSEU members and allies marched through the streets of Austin and converged on the state capitol to lobby members of the legislature. Participants from more than 60 organizations, all part of the Texas Forward coalition, joined TSEU's annual lobby day. Among the rally speakers were TSEU President Judy Lugo, District 6 Vice President Claude Cummings, Public Sector Vice President Brooks Sunkett, Texas AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller and others from the coalition.

TSEU members from across the state formed 18 teams and met with the offices of 94 state representatives and state senators. Key issues are: an across-the-board pay raise for all state and university workers, a cost of living adjustment for state retirees, no pension or health care benefit cuts for current or future retirees, and restoration of the disastrous 2011 budget cuts in state serves and higher education.