The Texas AFL-CIO hosted a webinar for labor leaders on June 13. The main subject was finding volunteers to meet the 2024 election challenge for all working families. Given the critical political situation, they shouldn’t have to look.
Early in the discussion, “motivation” overtook “information” as the main goal. Texans already have a lot of information about the parties and candidates in 2024, but will they have the spirit to stand up and do something? Apathy and voter fatigue are our problems. Together, we must overcome them, and that is exactly what we intend. The Texas AFL-CIO will distribute a new tool kit soon. The statewide goal will be for us to gather with the statewide program. Anybody could do that now by clicking https://texasaflcio.org/contact-us/. Why wait to be asked?
Flight Attendants Want to Strike
North Texans rallied with Flight Attendants at DFW on June 13. It was a national day of solidarity for airline workers who desperately need better contracts and have been prohibited by federal law from striking. The Flight Attendants were joined by members of other unions and by non-union workers who support labor’s goals. Arash Farasat of Young Active Labor Leaders supplied this photo and a video that is on our Facebook page.
Texas Political Parties Hold Conventions
The two major political parties have completed their Texas conventions. Their platforms were different in the extreme. Here are some of the points that Texas AFL-CIO Communications Director Ed Sills published from the Democratic Convention in El Paso:
—End the misclassification of workers to ensure proper access to pay and benefits
—Protect and expand workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain for better compensation, benefits and working conditions;
—All Texas workers should receive a living wage indexed to inflation, including tipped workers;
—Strengthen existing protections and create meaningful consequences for employers who commit wage theft;
—Require that all employment positions guarantee equal pay for equal work, safe working conditions, retirement and health benefits, paid sick leave, paid vacation leave, paid family leave, workplace accommodations for persons with disabilities, workplace accommodation for child nursing, and payment of prevailing wages for public projects
—Restore dignity and safety to the workplace by requiring Workers’ Compensation insurance for workers in Texas;
—Oppose “free trade” proposals that send American jobs out of the country and harm the environment, and support fair trade deals that protect and bring back American jobs;
—Mandate the right for employees to form or join a union in order to negotiate collectively with their employer without fear of union-busting attacks or laws such as prohibitions on payroll deduction of union dues;
—Repeal so-called “right-to-work” laws designed to weaken labor unions;
—Eliminate bans on collective bargaining for public employees;
—Protect and expand Social Security, ensure a decent retirement and retirement pensions, and protect savings for all working and permanently disabled Texans;
—Offer Apprenticeship Readiness Programs and U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs for high-skill building trades to workers, high school students, and college students; and
—Address the negative effects of worker displacement when new technologies, such as automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are adopted
That’s just some of it, from one section. The whole document, which marks huge change for Texas if these ideas can become priorities, is available at this link. Elections matter: https://tinyurl.com/4hfjkhpe
Please 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. Texas Alliance for Retired Americans continues statewide outreach meetings on Fridays at 5:30PM. If you are not already registered, register here.
MORE ACTIONS COMING UP
Jun 14, 5-7P: Candidate Denise Wilkerson event at Saltgrass Steak House, 1813 Hwy 121 in Bedford
Jun 15: Runoff elections in several cities
Jun 15, 3:30P: “The Trial of Jane Elkins” performed at Pan African Connection
Jun 19, Noon-2PM: Grand opening of Democratic Party office in Red Bird Mall
Jun 19, 6P: CWA Juneteenth celebration at 1408 N Washington. Also on-line
Jun 20, 7:30P: Central Labor Council meeting for all affiliated AFL-CIO members at 1408 N Washington
Jul 11: Trump sentencing for felony convictions
