In the face of
one of the most difficult legislative sessions for state workers ever,
TSEU members did not back down. Whether it was fighting to make our
jobs & services better or keeping them from getting worse, union
members can take pride in our accomplishments this legislative session.
Legislative
actions & victories
We generated thousands of calls and postcards along with hundreds of
small-group lobbying visits to our state legislators. While the cuts
are severe and will hurt millions of Texans, TSEU fought to reduce the
overall damage by nearly half. Plans to cut our health care and pension,
to eliminate longevity pay and to authorize furloughs were defeated.
TSEU played a pivotal role in building a coalition that united state
employees with advocacy, civil rights, religions, and other groups.
TSEU’s traditional Lobby Day was built into a coalition effort
that turned out 5,000 people and was a turning point.
Our fight is far
from over!
We need union members to continue to be engaged in this process; above
all, we need state employees and retirees on the sidelines to join TSEU
and get involved.
It is imperative that the politicians understand this movement is fueled
by a constantly growing organization of people who have demonstrated
their commitment to fight back no matter how long it takes.
(SOME) State
Employee Legislative results
State employee health
care: No major changes.
The CSHB1 includes roughly the same funding for the ERS health plan
as in the previous budget. At this funding level, radical changes, like
making employees pay part of the premium for employee coverage, will
not be necessary. Another attempt to water down our health care plan
with “health savings accounts” was defeated after a bitter
battle.
State employee pensions:
no major changes.
CSHB1 authorizes a state contribution of 6.0% of each employee’s
pay next year, and 6.5% the second year. The employee share will stay
constant at 6.5% for ERS and 6.4% for TRS. This breaks a promise made
in 2009: the legislation that increased the employee share from 6.0%
to 6.5% also stipulated that the state share could not be less than
the employee share. However, the changes this year should not have an
immediate effect for state employees or retirees.
State employee longevity
pay: no changes.
Plans to eliminate longevity pay appear to be dead.
State employee furloughs:
dead.
Plans to authorize furloughs (unpaid mandatory time off) appear to be
dead.
Human services funding:
massive cuts that will affect millions of Texans
This budget cuts about $11.3 billion (17%) from overall spending on
the five major human services agencies. Most of the cut is in federal
funding that will be lost because of low state funding levels. It is
known that the plan includes a $4.8 billion cut in Medicaid funding
that would have to be made up in order to meet federal requirements.
State supported living
centers: closing plans defeated
A plan to force the closing of two SSLC’s was defeated, along
with a plan to create a “realignment commission” that would
have had the authority to close facilities. Thousands of Texans with
severe and profound levels of mental disabilities depend on these facilities
for safe, secure, and supportive living environments that provide the
care and programs they need.
State Hospitals:
privatization scaled back
A plan to privatize two state hospitals has been down-graded to a plan
to privatize one state hospital. While the final plan is still not clear,
the Legislative Budget Board recommended that one State Hospital be
privatized. The rider also removed language that would set the cost
savings threshold too high to attain.
Higher education:
cutting the future of Texas
This budget cuts higher education funding by nearly $1 billion, or 4.3%.
Since this funding was already at levels that have produced a crisis
in our state universities, the new cuts will have a potentially devastating
effect. Among the cuts are radical reductions in most state scholarship
and student aid programs. Particular cuts to medical education that
promoted family physicians and general practice could lead to greater
doctor shortages throughout the state.
Criminal justice
& corrections
Overall funding is cut by $643 million, or 5.3%. It is not yet known
exactly where the cuts are made.
Texas Youth Commission
(TYC): more unfunded mandates to counties
Legislation passed earlier this year combines TYC and the Texas Juvenile
Probation Commission into a single youth services agency. Legislation
also eliminates TYC facilities in Crockett, Beaumont and Brownwood and
passes much of the responsibility for dealing with law-enforcement involved
youth to the counties, which are not provided with enough new resources
to meet the new responsibilities.