NEWS

Critics question Haslam's outsourcing plan

Joel Ebert
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Barbara Jones, right, participates in a protest outside the state Capitol as part of the University of Tennessee Diversity Matters Coalition demonstration on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Nashville. The group is concerned about proposed bills that will restrict diversity funding, programming, scholarships and outsourcing.

Two weeks after protesters flocked to the Capitol to express opposition to Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed outsourcing plan, a panel of lawmakers on Tuesday listened to more grievances over the idea.

“We feel like the outsourcing of thousands of state jobs is overreaching, it’s going too far and it’s giving up too much authority that we currently have,” Randy Stamps, governor affairs director for the Tennessee State Employees Association, told the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

Stamps’ comments come after protesters gathered at the legislature March 8 in an effort to question Haslam’s plan, which is centered on hiring private companies to manage the state’s colleges, prisons and state parks.

Amid protests, state says outsourcing plan could save $36M a year

While proponents of the plan say the effort will result in taxpayers saving millions of dollars, Chris Dauphin, the organization’s communications director, questioned the $35.8 million in estimated savings.

The figure was mentioned by Terry Cowles, director of customer-focused government, during a presentation to the Senate State and Local Government Committee in early March.

On Tuesday, Dauphin told the same committee that the state can save money without having to outsource the facilities management on every state property. “We don’t feel like that’s a solution that matches the size of the problem,” he said. “You don’t have to blow up the house to catch a mouse.”

Dauphin advocated for a more common-sense approach before warning that outsourcing could result in cost shifting down the line. He said a private company could decide to have annual rate increases, pointing to a contract between the Texas A&M University system and Compass Group USA, an outsourcing company, that resulted in students being forced into paying more for meal plans as a result of the privatization plan.

Dauphin also explained that the 1,647 state workers at the university were forced to reapply for their jobs, with only 600 being rehired.

“We believe we can do better,” Dauphin said, after asking the panel of lawmakers to consider whether workers will be forced to reapply for their jobs and those nearing retirement will be forced out. “We’re urging you not to give up on state employees.”

Despite the concerns of state workers, Haslam has indicated that employees will not be faced with layoffs.

Dauphin and Tom Anderson, a supply buyer for the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, said the state’s campus employees are very proud of their work.

Anderson, who was representing the United Campus Workers, explained the careers, livelihoods and families of campus employees are at stake under the proposed plan.

“It’s not unlikely that I may lose my job,” he said, adding that while current employees are personally invested in the state’s campuses and communities, that wouldn’t necessarily be the case with a private employer.

The committee took no action on the outsourcing plan, which does not need the approval of lawmakers.

Reach Joel Ebert at 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.