TSEU State Employee/Retiree Lobby Day | Wednesday, April 10, 2019
WE WERE THERE!
MARCH
On Wednesday, April 10, hundreds of union members, family and supporters gathered at the Capitol for our State Employee/Retiree Lobby Day. The day-long event began with an early lunch and orientation as Lobby Day buses dropped off members from as far away as El Paso – buses made stops in more than 30 cities. After lunch, members formed into our march line-up, led this year by our DFW area attendees who mobilized the biggest percentage of their members for Lobby Day. Our march brought traffic to a halt as it wound its way through downtown Austin and stretched for up to four or more blocks. Our route took us in front of the Governor’s mansion before massing on the main steps of the state capitol.
RALLY
The rally portion of Lobby Day opened with the singing of our union anthem “Solidarity Forever” on the front steps of the capitol, led by longtime TSEU activist and former organizer, Boone Taylor. This was followed by a welcome message from TSEU President Judy Lugo. Other speakers included CWA District 6 Vice-President Claude Cummings, CWA’s Public Workers Vice President Brooks Sunkett, and TxAFL-CIO President Rick Levy. Feeling inspired and fired up from the march and rally, Lobby Day attendees divided into teams based on state senate districts before heading into the Capitol to lobby specific legislators.
LOBBY
Top on our lobby list was a $6000 pay raise for ALL state employees (including university workers) and fully funding pensions and healthcare, including a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees. Members also pushed for increased funding and staffing levels, due process rights for workers and to stop the privatization of state services. Lobby Day allows legislators to see and hear firsthand the commitment we have to our jobs and services we provide. In all, lobby teams met with the offices of more than 25 senators and 130 representatives that afternoon. Riding on the buses back home from Lobby Day, attendees committed to continuing our fight for quality state jobs and services by organizing and mobilizing our union.
