Unions Are Born to Fight
The Dallas Fired Black Dancers’ picket on November 25 showed how working families will defend against the attacks that are inevitably coming. The lesson starts with a courageous group that is willing to stand up against the pressures of harassment, deprivation, and job loss. Right now in Dallas, that group is the Dancers.
Behind them stand brothers and sisters in similar work. Among those pledging their support over the loudspeaker were leaders of actors, musicians, and opera unions. Broader union support was evident from the Steelworkers, School Employees, and the Dallas AFL-CIO labor federation.
Probably the largest number of supporters had no direct union affiliation at all. Rather, they came from among the 70% of Americans who have grown to understand the central importance of unions in defending democracy. Among those without union membership were white-haired retirees loosely organized around the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans. There were young people identifying with the Democratic Socialists of America and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Most of the young picketers were organized by the Young Active Labor Leaders. YALL is a creation of the Texas AFL-CIO labor federation. Its main leaders live in Dallas.
Labor’s political allies are in the mix. Solidarity statements from two city councilmen, one state rep, and a leader of the state AFL-CIO federation were read to the November 25 picketers.
News from the other side of the battle lines fills the mainstream news. President-elect Trump selects his generals from the ideological anti-worker far right. His close ally, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, announces parts of his plan to demolish regulations and destroy jobs. The Supreme Court chomps away chunks of democracy. Anti-women, anti-worker, and anti-children bills pre-load for the coming Texas legislature. America’s unions are their main obstacle.
In Dallas and everywhere, Americans are learning to gather forces and fight back.
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Build the progressive coalition that has already started around the Fired Black Dancers by attending the December 6th and 7th pickets. Buy tickets for yourself and your friends for their benefit performance.
Start getting ready for major coalition-building marches on January 18.
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. For the best Texas labor news, write ed@texasaflcio.org. Paste Bit.ly/DallasCLC?r=qr into your browser and join our political program.
Contact List
- Political Committee Earnest Tilley etilley2006@yahoo.com
- Pride at Work Shayla Nguyen shaylan3912@gmail.com
- Texas Alliance for Retired Americans Judy Bryant judy4tara@aol.com
- Young Active Labor Leaders Stu Becker stubecker89@gmail.com
MORE ACTIONS COMING UP
Dec 3: The Quality of Life, Arts and Culture committee will meet to discuss the advisory group’s feedback. The recommendation would then go to a vote in the next Dallas City Council meeting.
Dec 4, 12:30A: Dallas Chapter of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans has its holiday luncheon at 334 Centre. RSVP to judy4tara@aol.com
Dec 12, 11A: Covered dish luncheon at 2218 E Main in Grand Prairie.
Dec 18&19, 7:30: Fired Black Dancers Benefit performance at Latino Cultural Center. Buy $35 tickets
Dec 30: Deadline for registration and $150 fee for the Dallas MLK parade on Jan 18.
Dec 31: Possible government shutdown
Jan 3: New Congress sworn in
Jan 11, 9A-3P: Citizens Clinic for green-card holders who want to be citizens and people who want to help them at 334 Centre. Contact lluckhardt.dallasaflcio@gmail.com
Jan 18: MLK and other marches are scheduled. They will surely find a way to come together
Jan 20: New President sworn in
Jan 25, 2P: Debates for candidates for Texas Democratic Party Chair either at the LBJ Ranch or via Zoom
Feb 24-27: 2025 Construction Working Minds Summit, at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel, 1500 Convention Center Drive. More info here