Take Action Before 3PM

Yesterday, the Senate released a budget proposal that would cut state employee pay, increase healthcare costs for all public employees, and cut public services.

The Senate needs to hear that their budget would hurt our state and hardworking public employees.

Will you sign in “CON” on the Senate’s budget by 3pm TODAY to tell the Senate to abandon their cuts-first approach?

1. Click the button below to go to the sign-in page.

2. Select “CON” from the “Position” dropdown menu.

3. Enter the rest of your information. Please identify yourself as being from WPEA (and not from your employer).

4. Click “submit registration” and you’re done! Committee Sign-in

The House’s budget (also released yesterday) includes service cuts, but doesn’t touch state employee pay or health care. Both budgets also include new sources of revenue, including a tax on intangible property for folks with more than $50 million in stocks, bonds, and the like.

The Senate’s budget follows Governor Ferguson’s plan for state employees to take a nearly 5% pay cut, but in the form of a separate leave bank rather than furloughs (similar to the TSR leave used in the Great Recession).

Additionally, the Senate budget would reject the negotiated health insurance agreement that all public employees bargained and prohibit public employees from bargaining over health care for at least the next four years. This would allow the legislature to unilaterally set health insurance rates for public employees.

WPEA members are joining with other public employees, fighting back against furloughs and health care cuts. Visit our collective action page for more updates.

You can follow both the Houseand Senate budget hearings on TVW starting at 4pm today.

In Solidarity,

WPEA