Tell Lawmakers,
There is more work to do:
Thousands of Oklahoma state employees will be marching at the State Capitol beginning Monday, April 2nd. We need you to be with us! Put in your leave request now and join us! The proposed pay raise, amounting to a 3% increase for the average state employee, is simply not good enough. State employees have weathered too many storms and endured too many years of staffing cuts, budget cuts, furloughs, higher health insurance costs and no pay raises to settle for such a small pay raise and no help for the support of agency operations or retirees. The plan put forward is a nice first step, but state employees and the citizens we serve NEED BETTER!
So we will see you Monday morning at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City! We are meeting in the North Oval in front of the Connors Building (Tax Commission building) in the State Capitol complex.
Look for the sea of blue! Everyone is encouraged to wear blue for state employees (teachers will be in red). Meet us there at 8:30am! The mass of people will begin marching around the Capitol building at 9am. Speakers will begin addressing the crowd from the stage on the south side of the Capitol at 10:30.
Getting to the Capitol:
If you are driving: Parking around the Capitol is very limited. Do not park in reserved spaces unless you want to risk being towed. There is limited nearby parking available at the History Center and at the parking lot at 27th and N Stiles.
Remote parking is available and shuttle buses will run between 7am and 4:30pm to and from the Capitol at:
Remington Park at 1 Remington Place, OKC, 73111. They have generously provided 1,100 spaces in parking lot D3. There will be people to direct you once you arrive.
Taft Middle School and Northwest Classen High School on May Avenue between 23rd and 27th Street.
Douglass High School at 900 N Martin Luther King Ave.
Capitol Hill High School at 500 SW 36th St.
April 2nd Agenda
6am – Clear Channel Radio begins broadcasting from the Capitol.
6am to 10am – KJ103 102.7
10am to 3pm – Twister 101.9
10am to 3pm – The Brew 94.7
KXY 96.1 and KTOK News will be broadcasting live from the Capitol.
9:00 a.m.
Begin picketing on sidewalks around the Capitol and meet with legislators. Continuous lines around the Capitol send the strongest message.
10:30 a.m.
Welcome, speakers, and rally – south side of the Capitol Building on the stage
11:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Continue picketing and meeting with legislators
April 3rd Agenda – and every day thereafter
9am to 3pm – Picketing and meeting with legislators
11am – Speakers and Rally from the stage
1:30 – Speakers and Rally from the stage
Things To Know
- The Capitol is under construction and the south steps are not accessible. There is sidewalk availability all the way around the Capitol building.
- There will be 75 portable toilets available on the Capitol grounds.
- Consider bringing food and drink with you. Some members are bringing tents with picnic supplies. There will be a line of food trucks located on Stiles Ave between 18th and 21st Street to the southwest of the Capitol located behind the Jim Thorpe Building. There are two small places to eat in the Capitol (in the basement and the 4th floor).
- The Oklahoma Educators Credit Union has generously offered to distribute water each day until their supply for that day is depleted.
- The Teamsters have rented two passenger courtesy vans and will bring people to the Capitol from the AFL-CIO Building at 501 NE 27th.
- Every person entering the Capitol must go through security.
- No guns, knives, or other weapons are allowed inside.
- Signs are allowed inside the Capitol IF they are not on a stick.
- The state has not determined a limit on the number of people who can be inside the Capitol at the same time, however, they reserve the right to limit numbers if it becomes a safety issue. At that point, it will be one in each time one comes out. Be prepared for long lines. Carry as little as possible so the lines will go faster.
- OEA has reserved the 2nd floor of the Capitol and you may go there if you need assistance inside the building.
- No overnight camping is allowed at the Capitol complex.
Bring signs! The message is simple: “State Employees Need & Deserve Better!”
This walkout will continue until REAL HELP from the Legislature is provided. All of these plans remain in effect going forward from April 3rd and beyond….
Local demonstrations will also be occurring in towns/cities near you. Picketing will be taking place all over Oklahoma. There is already some happening in Norman, Tulsa, Poteau and elsewhere. Please contact OPEA to find out how you can join in these local efforts and show your support. Or start your own local picket today! We will hook you up with others interested. Call or e-mail us: info@opea.org or 405-524-6764.
