News

How Bad Is It? What Will You Do?

Gene Lantz, President
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“Under the oligarchic and authoritarian regime of Donald Trump, we find ourselves living in an unprecedented moment in modern American history. As a result, we’ve got to respond in an unprecedented way.” 

--Senator Bernie Sanders

At the April Central Labor Council meeting, I asked, “How many of you believe that Musk and Trump are trying to establish a dictatorship in America?” Every hand went up.

Except for some organizational details, the entire meeting was about how labor should lead the fight to save the nation for working families. We are working in all arenas: legal, legislative, and concerted action.

Legal

Reports were generally good on the legal front. For example, the Musk/Trump attempt to take over all Social Security information has been stymied our union/retiree lawsuit. The worst news was that Trump has caused a constitutional crisis by defying a Supreme Court ruling on deportations.

Legislative

On the legislative front, we’re phone banking every day and block walking on Saturdays through the May 3 local elections. By reaching out to all union members, we are strengthening the movement long-term. On April 21, we will hold a Town Hall meeting with all the local congresspersons who will come. Federal employees and others will be asking hard questions, even to the congresspersons who are too ashamed to show up and have to be represented by caricatures.

Town Hall Meeting will clarify legislative matters

Rena Honea said that school employees will hold a special blockwalk in District 4 on the 26th.

Donnie Jolly of the Amalgamated Transit Union asked people to join their lobbying effort to Austin on Thursday. Free transportation will leave their hall as early as 4AM. 

Katina Range of the American Postal Workers Union revealed the plot to privatize the post office for corporate profit. She said, “Truthout, an independent news organization, recently reported on a Revolving Door Project analysis that revealed big banks are salivating over the prospect that the Postal Service will soon be broken up and privatized by the new Administration.”

Katina Range is proud to be union!

 

Concerted Action

Today is another “buy nothing” day called by “People’s Union.” Tomorrow, April 19th, there will be “Hands Off” street protests all over the world, including in Dallas and Fort Worth. The entire week of April 27-May4 will see major protest activities such as marches in Dallas April 27 and Fort Worth May 4, a picnic May 1, a special dinner May 1, and the Dallas AFL-CIO celebration of International Workers Day May 3. See below for lists of activities.

Need More Information?

Join Our Solidarity Brigade

Click here to get updates whenever activists are needed. For text alerts, send the word "action" to the phone number 235246. Paste Bit.ly/DallasCLC?r=qr into your browser and join our Dallas political program. Everyone is encouraged to join the national Department of People Who Work for a Living. Please also subscribe to the Texas AFL-CIO weekly newsletter by writing to labor@texasaflcio.org. We are fighting for working families in every available arena.

MORE ACTIONS COMING UP

Apr 18: Seniors and others who qualify are already filing their ballots for the May 3 election. It is not too late to apply to your county election office

Apr 18, 6:30P (and every Friday): Protest Coordinating Committee meets on-line. All are welcome. Register (if you haven’t already) 

Apr 18, 3-7 (and every Mon-Sat until the election): phone banking with Dallas AFL-CIO. etilley2006@yahoo.com 

Apr 18: Nationwide “buy nothing” economic blackout called by "People's Union"

Apr 19, 9A – (and every Saturday until the election): Block walking with Dallas AFL-CIO from 1408 N Washington. etilley2006@yahoo.com

Apr 19: Another round of “Hands Off” rallies in many places. See https://www.fiftyfifty.one/

Apr 19,  12P: “Hands Off" Rally at Burk Burnett Park, 501 W 7th, in Ft Worth

Apr 19, 2P: “Hands Off” rally at Dallas City Hall, 1100 Marilla

Apr 19, 2P: Pleasant Grove GOTV Block Walking. https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/

Apr 19,10: Richardson GOTV Block Walk › 

Apr 19, 2P: Pleasant Grove GOTV Block Walking. https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/

Apr 21,6P: Town Hall meeting at Hamilton Park United Methodist Church, 11881 Schroeder Road Dallas, TX 75243

Apr 21, 6:30: Labor's Town Hall sponsored by Dallas AFL-CIO at 1408 N Washington

Apr 22: Early in-person voting for the May 3 election begins

Apr 22, 10A: Early vote rally at 600 Commerce downtown Contact etilley2006@yahoo.com

Apr 22 @ 6:30pm · Richardson Area Democrats Earth Day Screening of "Chasing The Tide" featuring Jay & Chrissy Kleberg! 

Apr 26, 10A: Buckner Terrace GOTV Block Walk. https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/

Apr 26, 10A: North Dallas GOTV block walking. https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/

Apr 27, 2P: People's march beginning International Workers Week begins at Civic Garden Park, 1100 Commerce in Dallas. Contact mazumdarrick@gmail.com

Apr 28: Workers Memorial Day to commemorate workers killed or injured on the job

Apr 29: Early voting ends for May 3 election

May 1, Noon: Retiree picnic at Kidd Springs Park on Sylvan. Contact judy4tara@aol.com

May 1, 7P: Pot Luck Dinner with Workers Defense Project at 3530 Forest Lane #215B in Dallas. Call 4696573926

May 3, 10A: West Dallas GOTV block walk. https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/

May 3, 10A: North Dallas GOTV Block Walk 

May 3: City and school board local elections

May 3, 2P: Dallas AFL-CIO Mayday celebration at APWU Hall

May 8, 11A: Covered dish luncheon at 2218 E Main in Grand Prairie. To participate on-line, register here

May 19, 7P: Gene Lantz speaks on labor at Metrocrest Democrats, 3822 Beltline Road, Addison, Texas. Contact robinson_kimmy@yahoo.com

Jun 4, 12:30P: Dallas Chapter of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans meets at 334 Centre in Dallas. Contact judy4tara@aol.com

Jul 25-27: YALL state convention in North Texas