Plumbers in Texas scored a significant win today when a bill written to dissolve the board regulating licensing of workers in the trade was amended to postpone the effective date for two years.
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy and Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay published the following open letter in support of locked-out United Steelworkers families in Deer Park.
The Texas Senate approved two bills that would take away the ability of cities to improve benefits for working people.
The attacks on local voter power came in the form of SB 2485, a general attack on benefits, and SB 2487, which applies specifically to paid sick leave and similar policies. The bills by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, won passage on identical 18-12 votes. All Republicans present voted for the measures and all Democrats voted against.
A bill heard yesterday in a House committee would create a separate unelected court system for deep-pocketed businesses, billionaires and others who might be involved in lawsuits involving giant dollars, corporate CEOs and large-scale business matters.
HB 4149 by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano (companion is SB 2259 by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola) would let the Governor appoint judges selected by an advisory group to hear cases for the wealthy, as opposed to the elected judges most working people would face when navigating the state court system.
Brothers and Sisters, Family, and Friends of Labor:
Our Brothers and Sisters at DOW are in a hard conflict with the company over their contract with the outcome unknown. We must prepare for the possibility of a strike; the company is preparing! We have been fortunate to have settled our contracts, now our Brothers and Sisters need your help. We must stock the pantry for their families from our families.
