The privatization of universities is entering a new stage as UT-Austin, U of H, UTSA, Texas State, and Prairie View A&M are all included in a growing list of schools who have introduced plans to privatize support services. Just last year, Texas A&M rolled out a massive privatization scheme that has resulted in over 1600 workers being laid off. Promises made to staff about their pay and benefits while working for their new private employer were quickly broken. CLICK HERE to read more
Why are universities looking to contract out more work? So they can reduce costs by shedding employee salary, health care, and retirement benefits. Dumping dedicated public servants in favor of hired contractors who employ workers at lower wages with minimal benefits is a haphazard response, albeit to a difficult problem. University budget makers have been dealing with the systemic problem of decreases in state funding for decades but this problem was exacerbated in 2011 when the legislature cut nearly $1 billion in higher education funding. Instead of spending this session proposing privatization schemes, university administrators could be joining the call to restore state funding to our university budgets. With or without them, TSEU is leading the charge to restore the 2011 cuts with our Fund Our Future campaign. Instead of putting the squeeze on frontline university employees, decision makers in Austin should be feeling the heat for slashing funding for higher education.
They Say Privatize – We Say Organize
The privatization of Texas’ public universities can be stopped by organizing, mobilizing, and working with our allies in our university communities to make our voices heard in the Capitol and on our campuses. On every campus where a privatization scheme is announced, it is critical that we respond swiftly by signing up new TSEU members and asking co-workers to get on the Lobby Day bus, especially in at-risk departments. We can’t win this fight without dramatically increasing our university membership and having a massive university employee presence at the Capitol. Get involved, take a stand, and be at Lobby Day on Wednesday, April 10th!