Today, the Texas AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE) announced our 2026 primary runoff election endorsements.<\/p>\n
These candidates have shown they are ready to fight for better wages, fully funding public schools, and lower health care costs. They have the backs of working people, and Texas labor will have their backs in the primary runoffs.<\/p>\n
Statewide Endorsements<\/p>\n
Lieutenant Governor: Marcos Isaias V\u00e9lez (D),\u00a0Assistant Director of USW District 13Attorney General: Nathan Johnson (D)State Board of Education, District 5\u00a0(Central Texas): Allison Bush (D)<\/p>\n
Congressional Races<\/p>\n
U.S. House, District 1 (Tyler, Texarkana, Nacogdoches):\u00a0Yolanda Prince (D)U.S. House, District 5\u00a0(Terrell, Palestine): Chelsey Alexandra Hockett (D)U.S. House, District 18\u00a0(Houston, Missouri City): Christian Menefee (D), incumbentU.S. House, District 24\u00a0(Grapevine, North Richland Hills): Kevin Burge (D)U.S. House, District 33 (Dallas, Grand Prairie):\u00a0No ActionU.S. House, District 35\u00a0(San Antonio, Seguin, Karnes City): Johnny Garcia (D)<\/p>\n
Texas House Races<\/p>\n
Texas House, District 37 (San Benito):\u00a0No ActionTexas House, District 41\u00a0(Mission): No ActionTexas House, District 49\u00a0(Austin): Montserrat Garibay (D),\u00a0Former Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer; Member of Education AustinTexas House, District 97\u00a0(Fort Worth): Diane Symons (D)Texas House, District 100\u00a0(Dallas): Venton Jones (D), incumbent,\u00a0Member of TSEU (CWA 6186)Texas House, District 125\u00a0(San Antonio): Adrian Reyna (D),\u00a0Member of San Antonio Alliance (AFT) 67Texas House, District 131\u00a0(Houston): Lawrence Allen, Jr. (D)Texas House, District 149\u00a0(Houston): Darlene Breaux (D)<\/p>\n
Early voting for the primary runoff runs May 18-22, and Election Day is May 26. We have just over a month to do all we can to make sure our pro-worker candidates win their runoffs.\u00a0Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n
Can you share\u00a0texasaflcio.org\/endorsements<\/a> now to spread the word?\u00a0<\/p>\n View our\u00a02026 General Election Pro-Worker Endorsements here<\/a>.<\/p>\n AS GOES TEXAS LABOR…<\/p>\n Austin:\u00a0Austin rolls back part of IT consolidation plan after employee pushback<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Austin American-Statesman featuring\u00a0American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)\u00a0Local 1624 (Austin AFSCME)\u00a0President\u00a0Brydan Summers and member Ben Suddaby<\/p>\n San Antonio:\u00a0Mike Miles\u2019 former charter school network expands its footprint in Texas<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Texas Observer featuring\u00a0San Antonio Alliance (AFT Local 67)\u00a0President\u00a0Alejandra Lopez<\/p>\n San Antonio:\u00a0One year later: How a TEA takeover has changed South San Antonio ISD<\/a> \u2014\u00a0San Antonio Express-News featuring\u00a0South San Antonio American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President\u00a0Tom Cummins<\/p>\n San Antonio:\u00a0Op-Ed: U.S. workers want union representation. We need political leaders who respect that.<\/a> \u2014\u00a0San Antonio Current<\/p>\n Statewide:\u00a0Does a Swirl of Vouchers and Closures Represent a Spiral for Texas Schools?<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Dallas Observer<\/p>\n Statewide:\u00a0Texas is giving data centers more than $1 billion in tax breaks each year<\/a> \u2014\u00a0The Texas Tribune<\/p>\n South Texas:\u00a0Op-Ed: Texas United Farm Workers Successes<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Rio Grande Guardian featuring\u00a0Texas United Farm Workers\u00a0former State Director and Texas Labor Hall of Fame member\u00a0Rebecca Flores<\/p>\n NEWS TO USE<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s labor plan is a massive 401(k) greed grab for Wall Street<\/a> \u2014\u00a0The Washington Post ($)<\/p>\n VA reverses course, restores union contracts following judge\u2019s rebuke<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Federal News Network<\/p>\n ProPublica\u2019s union staged a 24-hour strike over AI, job protections<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Poynter<\/p>\n Collective voices, healthier outcomes: the union effect in American Healthcare<\/a> \u2014\u00a0npj Health Systems<\/p>\n AI & TECH NEWS BITE<\/p>\n Issue Brief: Without Robust Guardrails, AI Harms<\/p>\n The\u00a0AFL-CIO Tech Institute recently\u00a0released a policy paper<\/a> that pushes back against AI hype. It warns that unchecked AI puts us at risk of invasive workplace surveillance and biased hiring systems, and makes us unsafe in high-risk fields like healthcare and transportation.<\/p>\n Choice, Not Inevitability, in the AI Economy<\/p>\n “These are all policy choices that we\u2019re making. They\u2019re business choices.”\u00a0AFL-CIO Tech Institute Executive Director\u00a0Lauren McFerran challenged the corporate narrative on the future of work at the\u00a0POLITICO Economy Summit<\/a>.<\/p>\n TEXAS LABOR FAMILY NEWS\ud83c\udfc3 LABOR ON THE MOVE<\/p>\n Congratulations to all who took part in the Texas\u00a0United Association (UA) Apprenticeship Contest. Category winners were\u00a0Micah Scwietzer of\u00a0UA Local 68 (Houston)<\/a>,\u00a0Taylor Blake Coe of\u00a0UA Local 286\u00a0(Austin)<\/a>, and\u00a0Angel Platas and\u00a0Dawson Atkinson, both from\u00a0UA Local 211 (Houston)<\/a>. They\u2019ll head to New Orleans in June for the UA District 3 Apprentice Contest.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc90 IN MEMORY<\/p>\n Pablo Carrillo Jr.<\/a>, member of\u00a0Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART)\u00a0 Local 67<\/a> (San Antonio), passed away on Apr. 3 at the age of 55.<\/p>\n Sergio Chamorro<\/a>, member of\u00a0UA 211<\/a> (Houston),\u00a0 passed away on Apr. 4 at the age of 71.<\/p>\n Robert Pennington<\/a>, longtime member, welding instructor, and Executive Board member of\u00a0UA Local 100 (Mesquite), passed away last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Our hearts go out to their friends and family.<\/p>\n SOLIDARITY CORNER: EVENTS & ACTIONS\ud83d\udea8 TAKE ACTION<\/p>\n SHARE or DONATE to GoFundMe pages for Texas union members:<\/p>\n CALL YOUR SENATORS:\u00a0Tell Your Senators: Don\u2019t Make Voting Harder for Working People!<\/a>\u00a0The SAVE America Act would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. Call your senators and tell them to stop this voter suppression bill.\u00a0Take action here<\/a>.<\/p>\n ADD YOUR NAME:\u00a0Tell the FCC to update its VoIP oversight for the internet age!<\/a>\u00a0Sign this petition to tell the FCC to reclassify VoIP as a common carrier service and ensure everyone has access to high-quality phone service.\u00a0Take action here<\/a>.<\/p>\n DELETE THE STARBUCKS APP:\u00a0Stand with Starbucks Workers United!<\/a> Union baristas are calling on Starbucks customers to #DeleteTheApp to show Starbucks that you stand with baristas, not billion-dollar companies.\u00a0Take action here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc6 EVENTS THIS WEEK<\/p>\n Saturday, Apr. 11 in Austin:\u00a0Citizenship Clinic<\/a> Saturday, Apr. 11 in San Antonio:\u00a0Citizenship Clinic<\/a> Monday, Apr. 13 in Austin:\u00a0Higher Ed Powers Texas – March & Rally at the Capitol<\/a> Monday, Apr. 13 in San Antonio:\u00a0The Fight for Free Speech with Tom Alter<\/a> Monday, Apr. 13 in Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and virtually:\u00a02027-2031 TDLR Strategic Plan Public Sessions<\/a> Tuesday, Apr. 14 virtually:\u00a0USPS Finances and the Future of Our Public Postal Service<\/a> Wednesday, Apr. 15 in Edinburg:\u00a0The Fight for Free Speech with Dr. Tom Alter<\/a> \ud83d\udcc6 PLAN AHEAD<\/p>\n Friday, May 1, Statewide:\u00a0May Day Events<\/a> Want to be on the May Day Events list? Please take a few minutes to share your council\u2019s May Day 2026 plans, priorities, and needs. This will help us coordinate and make sure we\u2019re aligned across the state.\u00a0Fill out the form<\/a>.<\/p>\n See all upcoming Texas labor events here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcdd APPLICATIONS, PROGRAMS, & TRAININGS<\/p>\n AFL-CIO Upcoming Trainings:<\/p>\n Thursday, Apr. 9 through Friday, Apr. 10 in Houston:\u00a0Managing with Labor’s Values Workshop<\/a> Saturday, Apr. 11 in Houston:\u00a0Building Union Power Workshop<\/a> Due May 1:\u00a0Apply for a 2026 Texas AFL-CIO Career-Building Scholarship!<\/a>\u00a0Each year, the Texas AFL-CIO awards $1,500 scholarships to affiliated union members who have returned to school to advance their careers.\u00a0Learn more and apply here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf8 PHOTO OF THE WEEK<\/p>\n On Tuesday, members of\u00a0International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 432 (Wichita Falls)\u00a0 joined with the community and city leaders of Wichita Falls to\u00a0rename South Weeks Park to Kelly Crush Memorial Park<\/a>. Kelly Crush dedicated more than two decades to his community as a firefighter and spent the latter part of his life advocating for people with muscular dystrophy.<\/p>\n Photo via Wichita Falls Professional Firefighters<\/p>\n
After attending an information session and confirming you are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, attend the Austin Citizenship Clinic!\u00a0Details here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n
After attending an information session and confirming you are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, attend the San Antonio Citizenship Clinic!\u00a0Details here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n
Public universities and community colleges across Texas are being used as toys for political games. We’re here to tell them: the futures of our students are not things to be played with. Join with\u00a0AFT president\u00a0Randi Weingarten,\u00a0AAUP president\u00a0Todd Wolfson, and other guest speakers for a march and rally at the Capitol.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Join\u00a0TSEU and\u00a0Tom Alter at the next stop on his speaking tour for a discussion on the suppression of First Amendment rights in Texas.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Every two years, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) sets priorities and identifies opportunities to improve how to serve Texans. Attend an upcoming public session to provide input and help shape the future of TDLR.\u00a0Details and registration here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Is the Postal Service broke or is there hope? Join\u00a0American Postal Workers Union (APWU) for a livestream to discuss the financial condition of the Postal Service.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Join\u00a0Tom Alter for the next stop on his Texas tour. He will be discussing the suppression of our First Amendment rights.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re keeping track of May Day events happening statewide supported by Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations.\u00a0View the list of events here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Over two days, participants will learn how to be an effective manager while staying true to the values of the labor movement.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Members from over a dozen unions will come together to gain the skills and confidence to effectively demonstrate and exercise collective power. Hosted by Houston Workers Deserve Better.\u00a0Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n