Lone Star Labor: A Swinging Success for Working Families
This week, union members, community partners, and local leaders came together for the 22nd annual Texas AFL-CIO • Walter Umphrey Golf Tournament! Our fun day at Crystal Falls Golf Club wasn’t just about the perfect putt or the longest drive — it was about coming together to support the future of our movement.
Checks are still coming in, but we know we raised more than $95,000 to support the Texas AFL-CIO Membership Education Fund and the Texas AFL-CIO Scholarship Fund!
There’s no way we could pull off an event of this scope without help! We’d like to thank our sponsors:
Ruby Sponsors: Provost Umphery Law Firm LLP • State Representative James Talarico
Platinum Sponsors: American Income Life • OPEIU Local 277 • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Gold Sponsors: Colin Allred for Texas • IBEW Local 520 • ILA 24 • Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 286 • SMART Transportation Division • Southwest Pipe Trades Association • Texas AFT • Texas Building Trades Council
Silver Sponsors: Advanced Dallas Hospital & Clinics • Austin CLC • Benefit Resources Inc. • Conner & Winters LLP • Insulators & Allied Workers Local 22 • IBEW Local 716 • Ironworkers Texas & Mid-South District Council • IUEC Local 21 • IUEC Local 133 • Pipefitters Local 211 • Plumbers Local 68 • Printed Union • RBC Wealth • UAW Region 8 • Union Labor Life Insurance Company • United Steelworkers District 13 • Williams Hart Boundas Easterby LLP • State Representative Gene Wu
Bronze Sponsors: BLET Texas State Legislative Board • CWA 6215 / Labor Wealth • Deats Durst & Owen P.L.L.C • El Paso CLU • Eric Nelson Attorney & Counselor • IBEW Local 66 • State Representative John Bucy III • Roofer & Waterproofers Local 123 • Tarrant County CLC • UAW SW CAP Council • Workers Assistance Program, Inc.
Individual Sponsors & Donors: Larry Bartlett • State Representative Chris Turner • State Representative Armando Walle • International Association of Machinists Local 776A • UAW Retirees • IBEW 278 • National Vision Administrators • Alliance of Dallas Educators • Withum • Blue Cross Blue Shield
Special thanks to Insulators & Allied Workers Local 22, Becky Moeller, and Linda White, who donated prizes for our raffle and contests.
We appreciate the volunteers whose hard work ensured the golf tournament ran smoothly, including: Dalilah Aguilar, Sophia Aguilar, Claretta Allen, David Beard, Abel Bosquez, Calvin Brisker, Roozbeh Bozorgmaneshfard, Melissa Holt, Cesar Islas, Marcy Kiger, Bonnie Mathias, Donnie Mayo, Pauline Mims, Becky Moeller, Oscar Palomo, Ryan Pollock, Tami Pugh, Maria Siero, Ed Sills, Dwayne Smetzer, Taylor Sweet, Karin Ward, Linda White, Maileen Williams, and Mark Young.
If you’re able to, chip in here to help build out our Texas AFL-CIO Scholarship Fund for the year to come!
AS GOES TEXAS LABOR…
Statewide: Texas AFL-CIO announces leadership transition as Rick Levy retires — Lone Star Standard featuring Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy, Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Leonard Aguilar, and Texas AFL-CIO Training & Leadership Development Coordinator Lorraine Montemayor
Austin: Austin ISD families rally against proposed closure of 13 schools — KVUE, featuring Education Austin
El Paso: El Paso union leaders call for bipartisan action to end government shutdown — KFOX14 featuring AFGE Local 2516 President Julian Patrick, AFGE Local 1050 Vice President Rene Perales, and AFGE Local 82 President Isaac Ortiz
Houston: George R. Brown Convention Center workers authorize strike, may join Hilton walkout — Houston Chronicle featuring UNITE HERE Local 23 Texas Chapter President Franchesca Caraballo
Houston: Houston ISD board will consider terminating teacher union leader at upcoming meeting — Houston Chronicle
Statewide: Expert cites ‘strong evidence’ race guided Texas congressional redistricting process — The Dallas Morning News
NEWS TO USE
‘Do your damn job,’ federal worker union leaders tell Congress mired in shutdown — PBS News
'Total disaster': Some furloughed workers plan to hold garage sales, dip into savings to weather government shutdown — ABC News featuring AFGE Local 249 President Imelda Avila-Thomas
The US’s biggest pro women’s sports unions have found strength together — The Guardian
Newsom signs bill giving 800K Uber, Lyft drivers in California the right to unionize — Associated Press
TEXAS LABOR FAMILY NEWS
🏃 LABOR ON THE MOVE
✊ Solidarity with the UNITE HERE Local 23 workers at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston who voted unanimously to authorize a strike!
✊ Solidarity with Meow Wolf Workers Collective (CWA Local 7055) in Grapevine who will soon be holding a strike authorization vote!
Join Pipe Fitters Local 211 (Houston) in congratulating their graduates of the 3-week Pipefitter Pre-apprenticeship Program! Welcome to the labor family!
💐 IN MEMORY
Pipe Fitters Local 211 mourns the loss of brother Richard W. Tomplait, who passed away at the age of 81.
Education Austin mourns the loss of brother Rodney Brown, who passed away at the age of 86. Our hearts go out to their friends and family.
📜 THIS WEEK IN LABOR HISTORY…
On Oct. 6, 1995, 32,000 machinists began their strike against Boeing that lasted 69 days. At the strike’s conclusion, workers won bonuses, wage increases, and more. Read reporting from the end of the strike here.
SOLIDARITY CORNER: EVENTS & ACTIONS
🚨 TAKE ACTION
Tell Congress to stop the Trump shutdown! The federal government has shut down because the Trump administration chose chaos and pain over responsible governing. Take two minutes to tell Congress to fund the government and put working people first. Take action here.
Tell Greg Abbott: Hands Off Our Freedom of Speech! Greg Abbott is calling for the firing of educators for opinions shared on their personal social media accounts. Take 2 minutes to tell him you won’t stand for this authoritarianism! Take action here.
Contribute to the strike fund for UNITE HERE Local 23 hotel workers in Houston. Workers are on strike for fair wages. Donate here.
Show your support for free speech at Texas State University. Tag @kdamp63 @txst and @txstatealumni on Instagram so they know defenders of free speech are aware of their actions against protected speech. Tag them here.
📆 EVENTS THIS WEEK
ONGOING in Houston: Join the picket line with UNITE HERE Local 23
Join community members standing in solidarity with UNITE HERE Local 23 members on strike at the Hilton Americas-Houston hotel.
TODAY, Thursday, Oct. 9 in Austin: Education Austin Rally at Austin ISD HQ
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is forcing Austin ISD to rush school consolidation plans without real input from the people most affected. Join Education Austin for a rally to tell TEA and Austin ISD to slow down, listen, and do what’s right. Details here.
Friday, Oct. 10 in Dallas: AFGE Press Conference to Demand an End to the Government Shutdown
Join union leaders from AFGE at a press conference demanding an end to the government shutdown that’s hurting working families across the country. Details here.
Friday, Oct. 10 virtually: Messaging On Solidarity: Tools for Talking about Immigration
Participants will learn tips and tools to talk to the media and others effectively about immigration. Details here.
Saturday, Oct. 11 in Houston: VA Not for Sale Rally
Join veterans and allies to support healthcare for veterans. Cuts to the VA lower the quality of care for veterans by causing staffing shortages and longer wait times. Details here.
Sunday, Oct 12 in Houston: APRI October Fest
Join the A. Philip Randolph Institute for October Fest to hear from Democratic leaders about why our vote matters more than ever in upcoming elections. Details here.
Tuesday, Oct. 14 in Houston: 2025 Houston Rail Labor Solidarity Rally
Join together with hundreds of our railroad brothers and sisters to focus on the shared mission of protecting safety and job security and advancing railroad workers’ rights. Details here.
Tuesday, Oct. 14 virtually: No Kings March Union Peacekeeper Training
Learn about safety precautions, situational awareness, and marshal roles for mass mobilization like the No Kings March on October 18. Details here.
Wednesday, Oct. 15 virtually: Texas-Sized Union Phone Bank: Pass Prop 50 in California
We need all hands on deck to fight against the Trump takeover! Join us on Zoom as we gather with our California union siblings to phone bank to ask them to help pass Prop 50! Details here.
Wednesday, Oct. 15 virtually: Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Best Practices
Learn how to implement best practices to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) for statewide and local election campaigns. Details here.
See all upcoming Texas labor events here.
📝 APPLICATIONS & PROGRAMS
2026 Ruth Ellinger Leadership Academy
This one-year training program is a skill-building and leadership development course managed by the Texas AFL-CIO to help grow and support the next generation of union leaders in Texas. Applications are due by Monday, Nov. 3. Apply here.
📸 PHOTO OF THE WEEK
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, after Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy announced his retirement for Dec. 1, the Executive Board elected Leonard Aguilar to serve as President, and Lorraine Montemayor to serve as Secretary-Treasurer beginning on Dec. 2, 2025. Read Rick’s letter about his decision here, and our official release here.
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