Houston-area Unions Renew Calls for Police Reform in Wake of Chauvin Conviction

In the wake of the conviction of former Minneapolis officer Derrick Chauvin in the murder of Houstonian George Floyd, Houston-area unions renewed their commitment to racial justice and calls for police reform in the Houston Police Department.

Lacy Wolf, President of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation said: “We all know what we saw — we all know what we heard. That is why last summer, the Texas Gulf Coast labor movement added our voices to the millions condemning another lawless, racist killing in our country at the hands of police officers. Today, we celebrate that one police officer guilty of murdering our Black brothers and sisters has been held accountable. Prosecuting the murderers of George Floyd was only a first step. Until the lives of Black people matter as much as whites, dismantling the racism embedded in our institutions must be our objective. We continue to demand police forces be transformed into institutions that protect the public they serve, and will continue to use our collective power to protect the lives of black and brown people. ”

Wolf served on the Mayor Turner’s Police Reform Task Force and helped develop proposals for policing reform that have yet to be adopted, including stricter disciplinary rules for officers and an overhaul of the police oversight board.

Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil said: “Today’s ruling is an important and positive step, but decisive action by our elected leaders to reform our laws and ensure accountability of police officers is our path. Stopping racist violence — whether at the hands of a police officer or a neighbor or an employer — and fighting racial inequality is the labor movement’s responsibility.”

The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation (TGCALF), AFL-CIO unites the power of 95 unions representing 60,000 union members across 13 counties to advocate for working families in the Texas Gulf Coast. We mobilize our members and community partners to demand a fair shot at better lives for all working people — regardless of the color of our skin, which country we come from, or whom we love. Learn more: www.gcaflcio.org/