Late Tuesday night, members of United Campus Workers held a telephone conference to discuss the developing case against the proposed outsourcing of UT’s Facilities Services employees to third party companies. United Campus Workers member Jessica Buttermore proctored the call as three state representatives expressed their dissatisfaction with Haslam’s privatization plan. Their complaints ranged from a lack of transparency from the governor to fears of lower service quality should state facilities be outsourced to a private company.
Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville called attention to what he said he views as a lack of transparency from Governor Haslam’s plans, stating that he couldn’t speak on what the governor has planned.
In talking with UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, Briggs said he believes the idea for privatization was not initiated by UT administration.
Briggs explained to his listeners that Cheek expressed overall satisfaction with UT’s facilities workers, drawing particular attention to the ice storm that struck UT’s campus last winter, forcing Facilities Services workers to perform their duties despite the dangerous conditions.
State Rep. John Ray Clemmons echoed those sentiments, indicating the lack of specificity Gov. Haslam has provided to interested parties within Tennessee. Clemmons said he plans to attend a roundtable discussion Nov. 3 at UT Chattanooga to better gauge what he called a misstep in the state’s agenda.
“What happens in Nashville doesn’t stay in Nashville,” Clemmons said of Haslam’s efforts. “When you privatize services, the first thing that goes out the window is quality of services.”
Sen. Sarah Kyle, (D-District 30) also vocalized Memphis opposition to Haslam’s outsourcing plan, citing the secretive nature of the process and that “no official plan (was) presented to the legislature.”
Like Briggs, Kyle said she and her fellow legislators were informed of Haslam’s Request for Information only after press and in house emails leaked the details of the outsourcing plan.
“Governor Haslam has told us that he will not go forward with anything until he gathers all the information, but the bonding agencies told us that he would be moving forward,” Kyle said. “That’s why we need everyone’s support.
“If the governor is focusing on outsourcing, then he will hurt the state’s economy and for those on a living wage who have to support their families.”
A UT facilities worker who chose to remain anonymous on the line, made it clear that if privatization became a reality, the resulting minimum wage and lack of benefits would be disastrous for him and his family.
“This is the Volunteer State and this is not how you treat your workers,” he said, his voice quivering with emotion. “They often don’t see the things we sacrifice, but we come back to work … and we put our heart and souls in our jobs. And that’s why some Tennessee schools are some of the best schools.”
Diana Moyer, president of United Campus Workers, closed the “Town Hall Call In” with several invitations for United Campus Workers members, state employees and interested citizens to participate in a “Week of Action” across the state beginning on Friday.
Moyer also said she and members of the United Campus Workers are organizing a bus trip to the Capitol in Nashville to deliver a petition against Gov. Haslam’s outsourcing, and, more importantly, to approach the Tennessee legislature with a physical, human form of protest.
“We won’t let up the pressure one bit,” Moyer said. “We’ve been heard, but we have to keep the message going that we know that the (privatization) process is much further along than he’s letting on.”
For more information on the gathering, visit ucw-cwa.org or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/tnisnotforsale.
