Leonard Aguilar & Lorraine Montemayor Sworn Into Texas AFL-CIO Leadership
TEXAS – Today, Texas AFL-CIO President Leonard Aguilar and Secretary-Treasurer Lorraine Montemayor were sworn into office, taking on the mantle of leading the Texas labor movement. Their leadership marks the first time that two Latinos will lead the Texas AFL-CIO, and they bring a working class, rank-and-file perspective to their roles.
“To those that have come before us and laid the groundwork, thank you,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Leonard Aguilar. “Lorraine and I will expand on the foundation you’ve laid out. It’s time for Texas workers to realize their power to take on the billionaires and the big corporations — but they need hope, and that’s where we come in. Together, we can grow the Texas labor movement and win a future where every worker is valued and respected.”
“As a product of our movement, I am overcome with appreciation for our members. It was this movement that gave me the tools and skills I needed to see myself as a leader,” said Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Lorraine Montemayor. “And just like the movement believed in me, I believe in the power of our rank-and-file union members and their families. Alongside Leonard and our team, we’ll continue to educate, organize, and win for Texas workers.”
About Leonard Aguilar
Leonard Aguilar is the President of the Texas AFL-CIO, sworn into office in Dec. 2025. He previously served as Secretary-Treasurer, which he was elected to in 2021. He is focused on growing a Texas labor movement that creates real opportunities for working people to succeed.
Over the course of his career, Aguilar has championed registered apprenticeship programs that open doors to family-sustaining careers. A seasoned face at the Texas Capitol, he has been on the front lines of battles for legislation that affects the future of every worker in the state.
Before serving as Secretary-Treasurer, Aguilar was Executive Director of the Texas Building & Construction Trades Council. He also served as the Political Director of the Southwest Pipe Trades Association.
He started his career with the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) Local 142 in San Antonio, where he is still a member.
About Lorraine Montemayor
Lorraine Montemayor is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas AFL-CIO, sworn into office in Dec. 2025. She previously served as the Training & Leadership Development Coordinator for the organization, where she trained up a new generation of union members into leadership over five years.
Montemayor started her career at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she joined the Texas State Employees Union (TSEU - CWA Local 6186). She later became a union organizer with Alliance/AFT, a Dallas local of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), before becoming the Political Director for the Dallas AFL-CIO.
She is still a member of Texas State Employees Union (TSEU - CWA Local 6186) and a member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 277. Beyond work hours, she advocates for a variety of social justice causes alongside her family.
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The Texas AFL-CIO is the state labor federation consisting of more than 250,000 affiliated union members and advocates for working people in Texas. Learn more at texasaflcio.org