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National Strike Underway!

Gene Lantz, President
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It’s Everybody’s Labor Struggle

After four years of organizing and 700 unfair labor practices filed against management, Starbucks workers are on strike now and through the holidays. Their success will depend on community support and their strategic planning. Sign up to help now!

Thanks to our Young Active Labor Leaders, many North Texans have already been involved in this important national fight. For those who need information, a very good video was prepared by newspersons. Union organizers ask everybody to stop patronizing Starbucks until workers have a decent contract. We can sign up for operations already planned, or we can organize our own!

The Starbucks boycott and strike is everybody's fight

Dallas Labor Stays on Point with Politics

Political Director Earnest Tilley organizes quarterly sessions with political officeholders we helped elect. Union members, particularly our younger members, get updates and opportunities to ask questions. The November 13 meetings were with City Council members, Jesse Moreno, Paul Ridley, and Jaime Resendez.

Councilman Resendez talking to union folks

Union members congratulated our Council on standing up to racism from the federal government by refusing to force the police to become federal deportation agents. Our questioners asked how the City could overcome the “white flight” suburbs who are trying to undermine mass transportation, and were pleased to hear that negotiations are ongoing. Unionists want the City to put a stop to companies like Real Page who use mathematical formulas to raise rents. Unionist especially asked our elected representatives to make sure city workers are treated fairly. Currently, management has violated agreements.

Officeholders were asked to support the Starbucks strikers, and received favorable responses. Young Active Labor Leaders activist Arash Farasat said he will be sending them a way to sign up.

The next meetings are with Councilpersons Chad West, Zarin Gracey, and Laura Cadena. Contact Earnest Tilley at etilley2006@yahoo.com to participate.

Retirees Join Texas Labor to Elect Taylor Rehmet

The following was sent to local newspersons:

The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans is proud to announce our endorsement of Taylor Rehmet in the special election for state Senate District 9 in Tarrant County.

Trump won the district by 18 points in 2024, but Rehmet upset two billionaire-backed Republicans with $3 million between them to win nearly 48% of the vote in the first round. Undoubtedly, more millions will be thrown into the Republican side in the runoff, just as they threw money to stop the retiree-favored candidate in the New York mayor's race.

Older voters are much more likely to vote than younger voters, especially in low-turnout special elections. Older voters are upset by Republican cuts in our livelihoods. The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans will be working hard to make the issues clear and elect Taylor Rehmet. When Rehmet prevails, the billionaires will learn two lessons:

1) Gerrymandering isn't foolproof

2) Texas seniors can't be bought

Taylor Rehmet with supporters at IAM union hall

REPORT TO THE DALLAS AFL-CIO DELEGATES

I hate missing our last delegates' meeting, but I have a medical appointment that can't be postponed. This will be the last official delegates’ meeting of the oldest Central Labor Council in America. I am very proud to have served as its final president. While in office, I have seen you carry out labor’s agenda brilliantly.

You supported organizing drives. You helped with contract fights. You stood strong with strikers. You organized magnificent meetings (and let me stand in front). You represented working families in the political sphere with more success than I have ever seen.

Possibly the best thing you did during my term of office was nourish the finest youth movement that Texas ever had. That effort has paid off for working families over and over again. The Dallas-area youth movement is now leading the entire state into a bright future for labor.

As for my part in it, I take pride in our communications outreach, which has done far better than most CLC’s, even without money or professional staff. In some cases, we were the first pioneers of some ways to do on-line outreach. 

I’m especially proud that CLC meetings I chaired always got our business completed before 9 PM, with only one exception when we stayed until 9:10. 

With love & solidarity

Gene Lantz

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

Nov 14-Dec 7: Medicare provides an open enrollment period, current beneficiaries can assess aspects of their current Medicare plans, evaluate features of other plans offered in their area, and choose different coverage based on their needs. Patients are allowed to make updates like opting to switch from traditional Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa)

Nov 14 through holidays: Barristas in 25 states strike against Starbucks. Sign up to help

Nov 15, Noon: (and every Saturday) Protest dictatorship at corner of Mockingbird & Abrams

Nov 16, Noon: (And every Sunday) Protest dictatorship at corner Buckner & Garland

Nov 16, Noon: (And every Sunday) Protest dictatorship at corner of Jefferson & Zang in Oak Cliff. East Dallas Democrats are doing another one. Contact Sophie at sdtex2006@gmail.com

Nov 30: WNBA contract expires after 1 month extension

Dec 3, 12:30PM: Dallas Chapter of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans meets at 334 Centre. Contact Judy at 214-729-0063

Dec 8: Candidate filing period ends

Dec 12: Casino Night for Dallas AFL-CIO