Our next election day is August 4 – this Thursday! This is a crucial time for TSEA and state employees. For many of the races, given the current make-up of most legislative districts, this primary election will decide the outcome for the November election. With that said, some pro-TSEA incumbent legislators face serious opposition in this August election.
We must stand with those legislators that have stood up for state employees.
TEAM-PAC and your local chapters have spent many hours reviewing voting records and interviewing candidates and have made their decisions about this year’s legislative endorsements. Please check in at tseaonline.org and click on the link for TEAM-PAC legislative endorsements for the most up-to-date list of candidates who support state employees.
When reading TEAM-PAC’s endorsements and considering who you will vote for, remember, after a tsunami of negative changes to benefits and due process rights of state employees, the water has become a bit smoother lately with the recent good news of TEAM-Act reform and better pay.
This year, Senator Becky Massey and Representative Bill Dunn led the fight for TSEA to amend the TEAM Act, and many other legislators offered their support. We were able to amend the law about employee appeals for discipline and dismissal. Current law already requires the Department Of Human Resources to provide rules for appeals; this legislation adds a requirement for the department to establish guidelines for the conduct of appeal proceedings. This helps ensure consistency across all departments for discipline and dismissal hearings.
Also, the legislature has been an advocate for better pay for state employees and insisted that current benefits be preserved. The recent series of pay increases and market adjustments, which the legislature approved in the state budget, show their commitment to improving state employee pay.
The best way to thank any legislator for their support is at the ballot box. So, please keep up to date about races in your region and be sure to make it a priority to vote in the Primary Election this Thursday, August 4 for candidates who support state employees!
After the election, state employees will still face many challenges during the next few years. Please always remember that TSEA is here to support you. We are on a journey together and together we will weather any storm on our horizon.
Sincerely,
Randy Stamps
TSEA Executive Director
