Dallas Labor Promotes Democracy
What could be more democratic than town hall meetings, election participation, petitioning, organizing, and studying for change?
Working Families Town Hall Meeting Set
As too many working people struggle for a fair shot at success, the Texas AFL-CIO will host a town hall meeting to discuss how Dallas residents can meet the challenge of improving their livelihoods.
The event is set for 11 AM-1 PM Saturday, June 16, at Audelia Road Branch Library, 10045 Audelia Road, in Dallas. Lunch will be served.
The format will include a panel discussion featuring local labor activists and a question-and-answer period driven by attendees.
Among the issues that figure to be discussed: raising the minimum wage, access to paid sick days, and equal pay for equal work.
The panel will also offer tools for mobilizing local communities and taking other action to improve work lives. In that context, the importance of building the working people’s vote in 2018 will be featured.
The town hall meeting is free and open to the public.
Labor Pulls for Nutall for School Board
June 16 is election day. Voting places and other information are on line.
In the runoff for Dallas Independent School District Trustees.The establishment candidate has had the money and the support of the forces that run this city from behind the scenes.
Bernadette Nutall has her record of standing up for the parents and children in the school district and the total support of working families. Turnout, of course, will decide everything.
There are also important elections in Coppell, Duncanville, Irving, Lancaster, and Sachse.
Dallas Wins with 110,000 Petitions
Voters in Dallas signed 110,000 petitions to get paid sick time for all workers in the city. An enthusiastic rally turned them in at City Hall on Monday, June 11. They brought the boxes of petitions in a U-Hall truck, then carried them in manually.
An unprecedented coalition of progressive organizations participated. Among them were Dallas AFL-CIO, Democratic Socialists North Texas, Faith in Texas, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, Texas Freedom Network, Texas Organizing Project, Workers Defense Action Fund, Working Texans for Paid Sick Time, and Young Active Labor Leaders (YALL).
City leaders will examine the petitions, then consider whether to place the measure on the November ballot or simply adopt it.
Labor Is International
In the previous newsletter, Australian workers demanding justice from Exxon/Mobil were featured. The Steelworkers union was helping them on their national tour. On June 12, the Communications Workers picketed the downtown shareholders meeting of Santander Consumer along with international guests from several countries. All of them are working with the Committee for Better Banks to get better treatment for bank employees.
[caption caption="Pal Hellman came to Dallas from Norway"]
The immediate issue on June 12 had to do with unfair dealer markups on automobile loans. Speakers at the rally said that such markups are part of a pattern of racial discrimination in lending.
Study for Change
The College of Complexes, a free speech forum, will hold a discussion on political economy at 6:30 Saturday evening, June 16, at Roma’s Restaurant, 7033 N Greenville in Dallas. Discussion leader Gene Lantz maintains that anyone who seeks change in the current system would do well to study and understand it.
More Actions Coming Up
Jun 16: Election day. Five cities are having elections: Coppell, Duncanville, Irving, Lancaster (for council and for Mayor), and Sachse. Labor supports Bernadette Nutall in the runoff for Dallas ISD school board in District 9
Jun 16, 9A: CWA activist Herb Keener will be interviewed on KNON radio's "Workers Beat" program on 89.3FM. Call in 972-647-1893
Jun 16, 11A-1P: “Working Families Town Hall” with Texas AFL-CIO at 10045 Audelia Rd, Dallas 75238. Food & beverages provided. Contact Harrison Hiner at hhiner04@gmail.com
Jun 16, 6P: “Why Economics Doesn’t Work” discussion with Gene Lantz at Roma's Pizza, 7033 Greenville Avenue in Dallas
Jun 18, 7:30: Young Active Labor Leaders (YALL) meets at 1408 N Washington
Jun 19: Celebrate slave emancipation in Texas
Jun 19, 7P: North Texas Transit Riders meeting at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 1819 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 75215
Jun 22-23: Texas Democratic Convention at Ft Worth Convention Center
Jun 23: 40 Days of Moral Action will culminate in a mass rally in Washington, D+C. Learn more at www.poorpeoplescampaign.org
Jul 31: Teamster/UPS contracts expire
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