Public Employee Members of SEIU Speak Out at Press Conference

SEIU Local 205 members Russ Anthony and James Staub spoke at a press conference in Nashville to support the tens of thousands of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public employees who would be affected by several radical anti-worker bills being proposed at the state legislature. 

Anthony, a social worker for Metro Social Services, compared the legislation to what is being proposed in Wisconsin, where he once attended college. "We need to focus on jobs, so let's stop playing politics with the good working people of Tennessee," Anthony said.  The legislation would end collective bargaining rights for teachers and House bills HB-159 and HB-160 would restrict the free speech rights of public service employees all across Tennessee, including members of Local 205.

Staub, a systems librarian at Nashville Public Library, made the case for the value that public employees provide to the whole community. "I look around and I see the teachers who are preparing our children and our city for the future. I see the public employees who make our city safe, I see the public employees who make our city sanitary, and I see the public employees who make our city smart".

Check out what happened at the event from WKRN News 2 or Fox 17.

Other events in support of public employees and unions are scheduled over the next few weeks, including one on Saturday Feb. 26 at noon at the state capitol.  More info on that here.