Back in May, Deer Park Representative and House Elections Committee chair Briscoe Cain was asked if he could name any examples of voter fraud in the 2020 elections. To no one’s surprise, he failed to name a single one.

We knew then and we know now — the voter suppression agenda advanced this year in the Texas legislature through bills like Senate Bill 1 was designed not to solve a problem for Texans, but to solve a problem for Texas Republicans — the growing voting power of people of color in our state.

We also know our history. That same…

The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Weekly Report comes out (nearly) every Thursday with news and updates relevant to the Gulf Coast labor movement. To subscribe, click here.

Normally, August is a sleepy month in the Gulf Coast, but that has definitely not been the case this year. Because this is the first ALF Weekly Report for August, this edition will include news from throughout the month.

Unions representing working people throughout Fort Bend County expressed outrage at the decision by Fort Bend ISD’s administration today to support a lawsuit attacking the decision Monday by district trustees to implement new public safety measures, including a mask mandate.

“We voted to elect our Fort Bend ISD trustees, and we’re thankful that they followed public health guidance and the clear will of the community in approving a new set of safety guidelines on Monday, including a mask mandate,” said Fort Bend AFT President Glenda Macal. …

Dear School District Trustees and Superintendents:

As leaders of Houston-area unions representing school employees and other working families in your districts, we urge you to implement mask mandates immediately to keep students and staff safe and prevent the community spread of COVID-19.

The Houston region is currently experiencing the most dangerous spike in COVID cases and hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic. Hospitals are filling up with unvaccinated people infected with the delta variant, with more and more young people finding themselves in intensive care units. …

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka unexpectedly passed away this morning at the age of 72. The Texas Gulf Coast labor movement joins our 12.5 million union brothers and sisters across the country in mourning his passing, and celebrating his legacy.

Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation President Lacy Wolf: “Richard Trumka spent his life fighting to empower workers, because he knew there’s nothing more powerful than workers standing together for a better life. We will continue to carry out the mission he devoted his life to. That’s how we honor his legacy”

Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany…

The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Weekly Report comes out (nearly) every Thursday with news and updates relevant to the Gulf Coast labor movement. To subscribe, click here.

We knew we’d have to put it all on the line to stop Governor Greg Abbott’s dangerous attacks on our democracy during the special session.

And today, Texas House Democrats showed they were ready to do whatever it takes to protect our right to vote. With few tools available, House Democrats broke quorum for the second time this year, and are now taking the fight to our nation’s capital.

We need to be clear about what’s happening — House Democrats are risking arrest to stop this dangerous legislation from moving forward. …

Criminally-indicted AG Ken Paxton has done much to bring shame to our state, but today was a new low.

News broke this morning that Paxton had arrested and plans to prosecute Hervis Rogers, a duly registered Houston voter who believed he was eligible to vote when he cast a ballot — after a long, well-publicized six-hour wait at TSU — in the 2020 primary election.

As with Crystal Mason, who faces a five-year prison sentence for casting an ultimately uncounted provisional ballot on the advice of a poll worker while she was on supervised release, Hervis Rogers registered and had…