The Dallas AFL-CIO committed to get-out-the-vote efforts at the October 17 Central Labor Council meeting. Political Director Lorraine Montemayor outlined a heavy schedule of activities:
- Block walking at 10AM on October 19 and November 2
- Rally for Early Voting at 10 AM on October 21
- Phone banking at 6PM on October 21, 22, 23 and November 4
- Everything combined on election day, November 5
Montemayor is assigning other tasks to fit individual schedules. Contact her at lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com or 214-826-4808.
Labor’s Business is Your Business
The Labor Council on October 17 endorsed Henry Brown for Mesquite City Council District 5. Principal officer Mark York said that Brown is a member of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1338 and that we need more union members to run for office.
The Council heard from candidates for state representative and for Dallas County Democratic Chair. Careful screening will take place before those elections next year. Lorraine Birabil, who has labor’s endorsement in the special election in Texas House District 100, also addressed the council briefly. Nominations for officers of the Labor Council will begin in January.
As always, the Council embraced several calls for solidarity among working families. Kara Sheehan of Texas New Era/Jobs with Justice outlined a number of activities. A video of her report is on our Facebook Page.
Many AFL-CIO activists had helped win a tentative contract for the auto workers union. Jim Castleberry of the Decorators was applauded for outstanding work. They not only delivered pizza to the General Motors strikers, but they also offered temporary employment.
Labor’s next big challenge is the Chicago Teachers Strike, which had just begun. The Council unanimously endorsed a proposal to send them a message of solidarity.
Solidarity with Strike
Chicago's teachers and staff went on strike on Thursday, October 17. We at the Dallas AFL-CIO are not in Chicago, but we still stand in solidarity with the teachers and staff because we know that their fight is our fight and vice versa.
Contrary to what you may be hearing in the news, the reasons members of the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU 73 are not simply about wages and benefits. It is about classroom sizes, adding desperately needed social workers, nurses, and librarians, and it's about affordable housing for our communities (for more information about their demands follow this link).
As the strike continues, we will work to keep you informed of developments and ways to support the Teachers and Staff.
For now, we ask that you share on social media and with your friends and family that you are supporting CTU and SEIU 73. You can follow their social media pages and share their posts directly, send an email to your contact list or post your own words of support. Here's something you could use:
"Educators are fighting back! We’re proud to stand with the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU 73, and to be part of the #RedForEd and #FundOurFuture movements for making our public schools and the 90 percent of kids in America who attend them a priority. It has represented a shift in the conversation about public education—from top-down, test and punish and privatize, to a commitment to invest in neighborhood public schools—and a clear belief that unions are our voice at work and in our democracy. Together, through our unions and with the community, we can accomplish what would be impossible to achieve alone. #faircontractnow #ctuseiu73strike"
--Kara Sheehan
More Actions Coming Up
Oct 18. 6P: “Freedom Walk Dallas” begins at Cathedral de Guadalupe, 2215 Ross Ave, Dallas. Sponsored by League of United Latin American Citizens
Oct 19, 10A: Get-Out-The-Vote block walking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Oct 19, 2P: Annual march to abolish the death penalty starts at Texas State Capitol, 1100 Congress Av in Austin.
Oct 19, 1P: CWA 6215 Golf tournament at Country View Golf Club of Lancaster. Info 469-878-7038 or 214-923-7697
Oct 20, 2P: Community conversation on affordability called "Strapped: Property Taxes & Affordable Housing" at Joy Tabernacle A.M.E. Church, 3203 Holmes St, Dallas. Email kara@texasnewera.org with questions
Oct 20, 2P: 350Dallas Climate Action Monthly Community Meeting at Central Market, 5750 E Lovers Lane, Dallas 75206. https://www.facebook.com/events/521645191731734/
Oct 21, 10A: Early Vote Rally at George Allen Courthouse, 600 Commerce St. Dallas
Oct 21, 6P: Get-Out-The-Vote phone banking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, Tx 75204. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Oct 22, 6P: Get-Out-The-Vote phone banking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, Tx 75204. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Oct 22, 6:30P: The Climate Mobilization discussion: "Pain into Action" about the climate crisis https://tinyurl.com/y2wun2cx
Oct 22, 6:30P: Join members of unions representing Denton workers for a special solidarity event in the Meeting Room of the North Branch of the Denton Public Library, 3020 N. Locust St., Denton TX, 76209.Please contact dentonworker@gmail.com and/or follow @dentonworker on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/961769154190840/
Oct 23, 6P: Get-Out-The-Vote phone banking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, Tx 75204. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Oct 25, 5:30P: CWA Pool Tournament at 4822 Bryan in Dallas. 469-685-2360 or 214-713-1201
Oct 26, 9A-4P: Workshop on runaway inequality and the crisis of healthcare. 4025 Rufe Snow Dr in Fort Worth runawayinequality.org
Oct 26: “Light the Night” against cancer at Trinity Groves in Dallas. Sponsored by United Food and Commercial Workers. Contact matthew.russow@lls.org 630-234-1448
Oct 29, 6:30PM: Citizenship forum at 1408 N Washington in Dallas http://texaslaborcitizenship.org jesus@texasaflcio.org 512-477-6195
Oct 28, 6P: Get-Out-The-Vote phone banking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, Tx 75204. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Nov 2, 10A: Citizenship forum at 334 Centre in Dallas http://texaslaborcitizenship.org jesus@texasaflcio.org 512-477-6195
Nov 4, 6P: Get-Out-The-Vote phone banking at 1408 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, Tx 75204. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Nov 5: Election activities all day. Contact lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com 214-826-4808
Nov 9, 10A: Dallas Central Labor Council training for screening committee members at 1408 N Washington. RSVP lmontemayor.dallasaflcio@gmail.com
