Topic: Labor

Time to be union proud on Labor Day and in the wake of Hurricane Harvey

Publish Date: September 4, 2017

Labor Day weekend offers us a chance to reflect on the struggles still ahead for economic equality and justice. Income inequality, lack of access to basics like affordable health care, and an aggressive attempt by the rich and powerful to undermine opportunity by stifling investments in K-12 and higher education are conspiring to make it more difficult for people to...

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Bad Bills in Texas Senate on Vouchers, Payroll Deduction Meet Bipartisan Resistance

Publish Date: July 24, 2017

Over the weekend and on Monday, bad bills in the Texas Senate promoting private-school vouchers and attacking your freedom to use payroll deduction met serious bipartisan resistance from grass-roots Texans. So did other measures, including an unfunded pay-raise proposal that would not deliver a real raise to teachers. Meanwhile, in the Texas House, opposition to vouchers, disdain for discriminatory legislation...

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Bills on the Move (or Not) in the Texas Legislature

Publish Date: April 13, 2017

As the Legislature takes a break until Monday for the Easter/Passover holiday, there’s news to report on a number of bills of importance to education employees. With just 46 days left in the 2017 regular session, some major bills are on the move, while some others are not. Educator misconduct:  SB 7, the bill by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) to crack...

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Turning Back an Attack on Your Freedom to Use Payroll Deduction

Publish Date: September 14, 2016

The Texas Senate State Affairs Committee took testimony today on a fresh attack against your right to pay your organizational dues via payroll deduction. A private-sector business group, locked in a dispute with a private-sector union, has chosen to lash out by demanding the prohibition of payroll deduction of dues by public employees—who are not even a party to the...

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Taking on Wall Street for Main Street’s Sake

Publish Date: May 25, 2016

AFT President Randi Weingarten invites you to take on Wall Street. Here’s the scoop, in Weingarten’s own words: We don’t need to tell you that in Washington, the game is rigged in favor of the wealthy and well-connected. And no one rigs our political system more than Wall Street. Banks work tirelessly to make sure they get big tax breaks...

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Labor Block Walking for Candidates Supporting Public Education

Publish Date: October 17, 2014

For more information on candidates, visit our Election 2014 page. Houston Every Saturday, (Oct. 18th, Oct. 25th) starting at 8:30 a.m. Locations: District 144 – South Houston – Harris County AFL-CIO Council – 2506 Sutherland, 77023 District   23 –   Texas City – IBEW Hall - 2509 FM 2004, Texas City, Texas 77591 Phone banking at the Harris County AFL-CIO Council on...

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Against All Odds: Celebrating the Legacy of Cesar Chavez

Publish Date: March 28, 2014

Monday, March 31, is a state holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez, the leader of the United Farm Workers who fought for the labor and human rights of some of the most mistreated laborers in America. Coinciding with the holiday, a movie about his life, entitled simply “Cesar Chavez,” is opening in theaters nationwide. National AFT chief of staff Mark...

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