ALF Weekly Report — July 29th
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.
Gulf Coast Unions Organize to Fight Abbott Voter Suppression Agenda
On July 13 the Gulf Coast labor movement showed up to speak out at the Texas Capitol against Republican voter suppression efforts and to thank the brave House Democrats who broke quorum to defend our right to vote. More than 80 members from 26 local unions participated in the lobby day and rally at the Capitol.
HFT Launches Community Canvass to Help Students Get Back in the Classroom
The pandemic has had a dangerous impact on student academic development, thousands of students have dropped out and many more lost ground in the last year. In order to help students get back on track and back in the classroom, Houston Federation of Teachers launched a community canvass this week. Teachers, parents, and community activists will go door to door to talk with families about enrollment issues, and work to get kids back in school.
Gulf Coast Unions Join National PRO Act Week of Action
Building back better and passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act are the labor movement’s top priorities. Working families can’t wait any longer.
Now is the time to get immigration and labor law reform done.
Area Labor Federation Supports Texas Climate Jobs Project
We can support both bold climate action and good, union jobs, and we’re fighting for both right here in Texas. That’s why we’re proud to support the Texas AFL-CIO’s Texas Climate Jobs Project. Their new report lays out a roadmap for creating new union jobs in wind, solar, carbon capture, and other sectors.
Union Housing Campaign Recognized by Biden Administration
Last week, U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo recognized the work of Gulf Coast unions to keep working people housed during his visit to Houston. Over the past year, unions have advocated for protections for renters impacted by COVID, knocked over 40,000 doors, and coordinated events with community organizations and local officials where over 3,000 working people have been connected with aid.
Unions Celebrate Confirmation of Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty to NLRB
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed union lawyers Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty to seats on the National Labor Relations Board, paving the way for a Democratic majority that is likely to reverse a series of employer-friendly Trump-era decisions.
Pandemic Aid Drives Historic Drop in Poverty
The huge increase in government aid driven by the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats will cut poverty nearly in half this year from prepandemic levels and push the share of Americans in poverty to the lowest level on record, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of a vast but temporary expansion of the safety net.
Texas Democrats Meet with AFL-CIO in DC to Advocate for Voting Rights
On July 16th, Texas House Democrats met with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to discuss attacks on voting rights in our state. The labor movement is unanimous in supporting their brave efforts to defeat Governor Abbott’s voter suppression agenda.
CDC Issues New Mask Guidance as Delta Variant Cases Rise
With the delta variant taking off around the U.S. the federal government Tuesday updated its masking guidelines for fully vaccinated people.
The new advice is to mask up indoors if you live in a place with “substantial” or “high” coronavirus transmission. The guidance for people who are unvaccinated remains the same: Always mask up indoors.
Pilgrim’s Pride Workers in Waco Vote Overwhelmingly to Unionize with UFCW
Workers at the Pilgrim’s Pride facility in Waco voted to unionize last week with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 540.
AFL-CIO Secretary-treasurer Leonard Aguilar along with other union leaders had been busy passing out handbills recently to support the drive and called the vote ” overwhelming.”
Union Miners Bring Fight to Private Equity Bosses in New York
Thousands of UMWA members traveled from Alabama and across the United States to picket greedy private equity firm BlackRock in New York and send a clear message — working miners drive your profits, and they deserve their fair share.
Support the miners: umwa.org/umwa2021strikefund
Get Vaccinated!
Everyone age 12 and older, regardless of occupation or health status, is now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas, according to state authorities. You can schedule an appointment to get vaccinated here.
To find more information about vaccination sites in your area, click on the links below (this is not a complete list of all vaccine providers)
