HIRING CLIMATE JUSTICE PHONE BANKERS & PROMOTORXS
ABOUT:
Southwest Public Workers Union will be activating the climate colectiva promotorx program intended to inform voters about changes coming to CPS Energy in the form of rate increases and starting up disconnections for non-payment. In the past, the climate colectiva program has connected community members to national, state, and local environmental justice policies and actions, as well as hosted community pop-ed style skill shares, work shops, direct actions, and community fairs.
SPWU organizes within the political framework to push forward policies rooted in our collective liberation, equity and social justice and without/outside of the colonial governmental entities who have failed to meet communities basic needs. Instead, we rely on each other to defend, uplift, and protect one another through a just recovery, mutual aid, comadre economies and a just transition that respects the traditions and cultures of communities in an effort to build new cooperative economies. This climate colectiva campaign is part of a larger whole of the collaborative work that goes into Southwest Public Workers Union.
CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW:
In 2020, CPS Energy took our grassroots coalition Recall CPS Energy to court, which ruled in their favor to end our public petition aimed at reforming CPS Energy through a ballot measure in the municipal elections.The ruling clarified that CPS Energy customers and rightful owners of the municipally owned utility could not petition to change the governance structure of the public energy company. For decades, CPS Energy has prioritized energy usage over conservation by an unethical rate structure in which residential rate payers subsidize the energy cost of larger users. CPS continues their legacy of ignoring the climate crisis, the need for adaptation/mitigation, and planning to prevent future energy crisis. As made visible during winter storm Uri, CPS chose not to weatherize their facilities and equipment, which led to days-long power outages and deaths. In the face of climate action, CPS chooses the interests of oil, gas and coal production over the lives of our community members and the prosperity renewable energy would bring.
In 2019, CPS energy interfered in the community lead process involving the Climate Action and Adaption Plan, making sure the plan was watered down to acquiesce to the demands of the status quo. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, CPS board of trustees lack empathy for San Antonio residents, as they scheme of ways to bring back disconnections and increase rates to make the community pay for their lack of preparation during winter storm URI.
For all these reasons, we must democratize our public utility and align it with our climate justice goals. Our newly elected city council has the power to reign in CPS, but we need to build a base of supporters and unite in our goals for utility justice. That's where you come in. By working in the field, informing voters and motivating them to participate in platicas, town halls, climate fairs, public comment and to connect with their council representatives, council will know our community is united and demands no rate hikes and no disconnects when CPS Energy goes before city council to propose a rate increase in the fall.
Link to apply for climate colectiva positions
Link to apply for phone banking positions
