Good News for Workers!
Ready for some good news at last?
- Dallas County Commissioners have voted for a 3.3% raise for county employees
- The City of Dallas proposed budget calls for “Minimum wage for full and part-time seasonal and temporary city employees is planned to increase to $15.50/hour next fiscal year and $16/hour the following one. It’s up from $14. They will offer 6 weeks of paid parental leave to full time city employees starting in January"
- Dallas city employees will get 3 new paid holidays: Juneteenth, Indigenous People’s Day (formerly Columbus Day), and Veterans’ Day
- As unprecedented Christmas hiring begins in retail, Raytheon announced big new aerospace factory in McKinney with 500 jobs. Southwest Airlines announced that they will hire 5000 this year and 8000 next year
- The AFL-CIO is celebrating a victory in the Nabisco strike
Tremendous Opportunity in Congress
At the national level, the AFL-CIO likes the ‘Build Back Better’ bill being considered in Congress because it:
- · Creates monetary penalties for employers who violate workers’ right to organize.
- · Taxes credits for using domestic supply chains.
- · Reduces prescription drugs costs.
- · Promotes high-speed rail and other carbon-reducing infrastructure.
- · Supports 3.2 million jobs annually, including 1.1 million in the care industry
- · two years of free community college
- · Twelve weeks of universal paid leave.
- · More affordable housing
YALL-DFW, a labor group, is listed as one of the sponsors of a Rally for Passage of the Budget Reconciliation Bill, 11AM on Saturday, September 25, at Dallas City Hall.
Fight Back for Voter Rights
Lawsuits are not the only way to fight to keep our hard-won democracy. Progressive organizations nationwide are gearing up mighty drives for voter registration. There are at least four actions in North Texas around National Voter Registration Day, September 28. Our Dallas Chapter of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans and other organizations will rally at 4:30 Tuesday at the Dallas West Library, 2332 Singleton Blvd. Voter registration will take place inside at the Community Center.
Redistricting Imminent
Follow the Texas AFL-CIO in the fight for electoral districts. The regular newsletter from Ed Sills keeps labor activists informed. The Supreme Court has already legitimized redistricting for political advantage, but progressive organizations aren't giving in. All eyes are on Texas because we have had such a large population growth. Almost all Texas population growth was among "minorities."
Gerrymandering is expected. The term comes from odd-shaped districts created in Massachusetts in 1812. One of them was said to look like a salamander, so it was named "gerrymander" after Governor Elbridge Gerry. A cartoon of the odd district was widely reprinted.
MORE ACTIONS COMING UP
Sep 24, 4P: I-30 Classic Voter Registration Drive Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium1201 T L Townsend, Rockwall, TX 75087
Sep 24, 7P: DFW YALL Movie Night
Sep 25, 11A: Rally for Passage of the Budget Reconciliation Bill at Dallas City Hall. Contact Dennis
Sep 28, 4:30P: National Voter Registration Day. Registration and rally at Dallas West Library, 2332 Singleton Blvd
Oct 1: International Senior Citizens Day
Oct 2, (several actions in Metroplex) 1P: Dallas Reproductive Liberation March at Main Street Gardens, 1902 Main in Dallas
Oct 2, 11:30A: March to Defend Abortion Access at Tarrant County Courthouse, 100 E Weatherford in Fort Worth
Oct 4: Last day to register to vote for Nov 2 election