Fwd: 5000 = success for Lobby Day/Save Our State rally

Subject: 5000 = success for Lobby Day/Save Our State rally
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TEXAS STATE EMPLOYEES UNION / CWA LOCAL 6186
5000 = success for our Lobby Day / Save our State rally Organizations, sponsors or organizers that participated Texas Forward Coalition: co-sponsored the march and rally CWA Local 6215 (Dallas): 6 buses + 50 more who drove Texas Organizing Project (Dallas, Houston, & the Valley): 6 buses League of Young Voters (Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Univ of Houston): 4 buses CWA Local 6222 (Houston): 2 buses CWA Local 6201 (Fort Worth): 1 bus Texans Together (Houston): 1 bus Teamsters Union (Dallas): 1 bus State Rep. Sylvester Turner (Houston): 2 buses State Rep. Joaquin Castro (San Antonio): 1 bus State Rep. Mike Villarreal (San Antonio): 1 bus Others: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, CWA Local 6151 (Verizon statewide), American Federation of Teachers (from several cities), Amalgamated Transit Union, Texas Impact, CWA 6139 (Beaumont), Steelworkers (Texas City &Tyler), CWA 6127 (Midland), Education Austin, AFSCME/CEC (prison workers union), SEIU (Houston & San Antonio), CWA 6129 (Harlingen), Planned Parenthood (McAllen), Teamsters (San Antonio), Sheet Metal Workers Union (Beaumont)	Statewide coalition is a grassroots movement against the cuts 5000 Texans marched from Waterloo Park to the Texas Capitol last Wednesday. Most visited their legislators after the rally. The message was loud and clear. TSEU members and thousands of other Texans are mad, determined, and committed. Various estimates at attendance were from 3000 to 5000. It sent a strong, clear message to legislators that they have to find better answers than to slash funding for state services and education, and that Texans want them for forget about furloughs, pension cuts, health care cuts, and layoffs for state employees. Around half of the people there were TSEU members, co-workers, family, and friends. Thousands of others were there because they understand that the budget cuts will hurt all Texans. The Save our State mobilization was united on four key points: Cancel the cuts. They will hurt all Texans Use the Rainy Day Fund. Maximize federal funds. Increase revenue Press coverage, photos, video: go to the LOBBY DAY PAGE of the TSEU website Go to the link on TSEU's web site for: press coverage including newspapers, on-line news blogs, and TV coverage photos of the rally / TSEU video footage / The site will be updated daily. Also, stay in touch with our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CWA.TSEU What to do now: Don't bask in the warm glow – turn up the heat! It will take a lot more than one big rally to turn the Texas Legislature around. We have to move quickly to make sure that this is a sustained push. The pressure in the Legislature to slash the state budget, with state employees taking a big part of the hit, is still extreme. Even if the Senate version of a budget dominates final product, it will still be a disaster for all Texans, particularly state and school district employees. Get your co-workers off the sidelines– sign them up into the union today. It is imperative that the politicians understand that 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. Get thousands of post cards. They send a real message if there are enough of them. Contact your TSEU committee member, organizer, or any TSEU office for details and materials. Get a resolution! Get your city or county government, chamber or commerce, PTA, or other group to take a stand against the cuts. TSEU has information on what the cuts would mean for every county in the state. Contact your TSEU committee member, organizer, or any TSEU office for details and materials	For more details contact: MIKE GROSS TSEU AUSTIN OFFICE 512.448.4225 www.cwa-tseu.org
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