|
|
Greetings, Since last fall UCW-CWA has been clear: the Governor must use any available federal assistance, the rainy day fund and other available resources as a bridge to better economic times instead of implementing the steep budget cuts proposed for higher education. During a time of economic recession the state's public colleges and universities are the last place we should look to for budget reductions. Instead, higher education is one of the best job creation programs our state has; public higher education is an economic engine that benefits all residents of Tennessee. While many of our colleagues enjoyed the winter break, our members actively reached out to the Tennessee Congressional delegation asking for federal aid for higher education. During the week of Christmas our leadership continued to plan our legislative campaign. While many around us descended into hopelessness and the ere of inevitability, our members rallied in support of federal aid and pressured Congress to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act with its State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. When many talked of pink slips soon to be arriving in the mailboxes of campus employees we, at points by ourselves, boldly spoke up that these cuts would not have to take place now given the aid on its way to states. Our members spent Spring Breaks lobbying our elected leaders in Nashville, many of them using their annual leave in order to attend. Last night this work finally began to come to fruition. In his Budget Address to a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly Governor Bredesen announced that due to the federal economic stimulus bill's State Fiscal Stabilization Fund higher education, "not only won't have to make cuts [this year], but cuts they have already taken here in Tennessee have been restored." It is important that our coworkers, our colleagues, and our communities know that these sorts of developments do not simply drop from the sky. Average people can make positive change in our own lives, these development are proof positives of this fact. The struggles to see our jobs respected and secure, higher education well funded and positioned for the future, and our state, national and world economies back on track are all far from over. But good news is always welcome news. Moving ahead it will be up to all of us to help make sure that the budget is passed. Equally important we must see that our universities do not fraudulently or irresponsibly use these funds. UT Health Science Chancellor Wall is still talking about fast tracking jobs losses when Memphis and our state's economy can least afford them; MTSU President McPhee pushes ahead with plans to cut needed programs and student services in the short term. Other examples are sure to be out there, with more coming to light in the next few weeks. These sort of policies remain the wrong way to move ahead in the coming few months. We need administrative reform, not a sprint to implement wrongheaded decisions. Those of you receiving this email who are already involved in our movement give yourselves a pat on the back, but also take time to ask that coworker that comes to you for updates if she or he is finally ready to get off the fence and join our union. For the many who receive these alerts who themselves have not yet joined, below is a link to the membership form which is also attached. In an economy like this you are either a part of an organization that belongs to you, fights for your interests and is run by people like you -- other higher education employees. Or you're waiting for the federal aid to run out over the next two years and for furloughs, program cuts and layoffs to creep back into the picture.
Join us, together we can win real changes in our lives! |
