UCW-CWA Local 3865 Workers Continue Pressure on TN Governor

CWA members at University of Tennessee's 16 campuses are holding solidarity and public information actions across the state to protest Gov. Bill Haslam’s scheme to privatize tens of thousands of jobs and jeopardize public service in every county in the state. "Tennessee is not for Sale," CWAers are telling Haslam.

“Tennessee already leads the nation in the percentage of jobs that pay minimum wage," UCW-CWA Local 3865 President Diana Moyer said. "The massive scale of Haslam's privatization plan could have devastating consequences for the quality of public services in the state of Tennessee."

Some 1,500 CWA Local 3865 members work at the university's 16 campuses. Haslam wants to outsource all building and facilities services in all state buildings, including the University of Tennessee and TN Board of Regents systems. Thousands of jobs in every county and on every campus are at stake, along with jobs in hospitals, prisons, parks and recreation, and military facilities. The proposal would cover every range of jobs, from clerical and management staff to electricians and skilled workers to custodians and groundskeepers.

Local 3865, along with community and interfaith groups across the state, is collecting signatures in a petition against Haslam's scheme and they plan a week of action at the end of October. Learn more about the campaign on Facebook here.

Moyer said outsourcing will only lead to further reductions in pay, benefits, and job stability. Haslam's quietly introduced plan will turn taxpayer dollars over to a private company which will prioritize profits over the interests of the people of Tennessee. United Campus Workers members are holding regular actions across the state, including one on September 4 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville that drew more than 300 participants. On the heels of a rally at the University of Memphis on Friday, workers rallied at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City on Tuesday and will return to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville today.

“We have succeeded in communicating to Tennesseans that instead of savings and efficiency, privatization usually leads to hidden costs, loss of transparency, and poor working conditions. The progress we have made in turning public opinion against the Governor's outsourcing plan is testimony to the power of union solidarity,” Moyer said.