The TSEU 2014 General Assembly was held September 26-28, and the work members put in was well worth it. Delegates elected from our membership set our legislative goals for our union as a whole, as well as goals specific to DFPS. Making any of these goals a reality depends on union member involvement, and during the next several months, there will be plenty of opportunities for members to get involved and make their voices heard. Please review the events listed below, and plan on participating!
We also need to get more of our coworkers off the sidelines and involved in the union. Complaining about what needs to change and wishing things would improve aren’t enough. The TSEU voice needs to be louder and stronger in our communities and at the Capitol, and we can make that happen by growing our union. Ask a coworker to join today!
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Important dates for 2015
January 13: Legislative Session Begins
Every other year, Legislators gather in the Capitol to make decisions about the future of state services, our agencies, and our pay and benefits. This is an important time to communicate with elected leaders. Throughout the session, TSEU will communicate with members about important developments, and ask members to take specific actions, such as calling your State Rep or Senator to ask them to support or oppose a particular piece of legislation.
Wednesday, February 18: FPS mini Lobby Day
The FPS mini Lobby Day is an important opportunity for us to meet with legislators about issues specific to FPS and for decision makers to hear directly from members about what’s happening on the front lines. Contact your organizer for more details.
Wednesday, April 8:
TSEU All State Employee Lobby Day
Get on the Bus! Tickets are $15 outside of Austin, and $8 for folks in Austin. Contact your organizer to get a copy of the Lobby Day 2013 video to show your coworkers what Lobby Day is all about.
Friday, March 6: ERS Voting Begins
Don’t throw your vote away! Help elect a frontline state employee to the ERS Board of Trustees. Ilesa Daniels, Houston HHSC, is seeking to replace current ERS Board member and union activist Yoly Griego, El Paso HHSC, who isn’t running for the seat again so she can retire after 40 years with the State. In FPS, 94% of employees did not vote in the 2013 ERS election, even though the ERS Board makes very important decisions about our healthcare and retirement benefits. We can change that by spreading word about the importance of this election from now until the end of the election, and by asking all of our coworkers to bring their ballots to work so we can collect them and mail them off.
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FPS Caucus Legislative Goals
- Stop staff turnover and retain staff by funding retirement and health care benefits, across-the-board pay raises, payment of overtime, compensation for bilingual staff and advanced degrees; and establishing a career ladder for all staff; and job parity for CCL staff.
. - Adopt the same caseload standards as recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association of APS Administrators (NAAPSA), Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), and the Workload Standards Advisory Committee (of the former TDPRS); Decrease wait time at Statewide Intake to an average of 5 minutes.
. - Restore funding for client services and stop the privatization of FPS programs protecting children and adults.