The Staff Senate of The University of Memphis has formed a legislative advisory committee intended to increase higher education employees’ voice with legislators voting on behalf of state employees.
The committee’s formation is a direct result of the unrest Tennessee’s partial government shutdown caused U of M staffers last month. During a meeting Tuesday, committee members stressed that their complaint was not with the U of M administration but rather with state government.
“Our job as a committee is to explore all of the avenues for gaining a voice as higher education employees in Tennessee’s legislature,” said Diane Cooper, chair of the advisory committee and staff member at The U of M Health Center.
One of those avenues might include joining the Tennessee State Employee Association (TSEA), a non-profit association that represents the interests and rights of state employees. TSEA sends lobbyists to Capitol Hill to assure that state employees are well represented by their legislators.
Cooper said higher education employees, however, are often disregarded in bills affecting state employees.
“Sometimes higher education is considered state employees, and sometimes it’s not,” Cooper said. “If someone isn’t there to say, ‘Add higher education,’ and it’s left out, we’re excluded from those benefits that other state employees get.
The committee expressed concern that U of M administration officials might consider TSEA membership a form of employee unionization, which is against state law.
“We are not forming a union,” Cooper said. “We are trying to inform employees and let our voices be heard at higher levels in the state.”
Cooper said the major concern of the advisory committee is providing information about legislators and their voting- or – non-voting- habits. The option to join TSEA is a way for higher education employees to stay informed about their legislators, she said.
On Aug. 15, the Staff Senate will vote on whether to start a local TSEA, join another chapter or wait for other ideas from the legislative advisory committee.
