TSEU Organizer Contact: Missy Bolbecker in the Austin TSEU office (512)448-4225 – mbolbecker@cwa-tseu.org
We’re TSEU members who work in TJJD facilities, halfway houses and district offices all over Texas. We’re JCO’s, Case Managers, Teachers, Parole Officers, and Support Staff. We are building a strong union in our workplaces to fight for: better pay and benefits to attract and retain quality staff; increased staffing levels; stopping closures; a fair grievance procedure with an appeal step outside the agency.
[ONGOING] Organizing in full swing at TJJD – Members working to stop closures, improve conditions
Every legislative session sees the possibility of up more TJJD facility closures. Predictions largely being made based on a declining youth population in TJJD as the state implements its “regionalization” plan to divert more youth away from TJJD placements to county-run facilities.
TSEU members have always placed a priority on finding the appropriate secure placement for each youth in the juvenile justice system, whether that’s at the county or the state level. However, in pushing the plan to divert more felony offender youths to county-level supervision, many lawmakers ignore the fact that most youths committed to TJJD have already been through the county juvenile system and recommitted another offense. In 2013, 76% of youths in TJJD were already on probation when they committed another offense and were sentenced to TJJD. This shows the need for a state-run system of juvenile facilities that can deal with the worst youth offenders who aren’t successful under county-level supervision.