Across Texas, workers are struggling in the extreme summer heat.\u00a0And now, anti-worker leaders in Congress are quietly attempting to stop any heat safety protection laws from being passed, now or in the future.<\/p>\n
H.R. 6213, the misnamed \u201cHeat Workforce Standards Act,\u201d would prohibit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from creating or enforcing any national heat safety law.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This cannot stand.\u00a0Will you make a call? Tell Congress to protect workers from heat\u2014and not block heat safety protections.<\/a><\/p>\n In 2024, OSHA proposed the nation\u2019s first heat safety standard following decades of advocacy from Texas workers. What\u2019s good for workers is what\u2019s good for businesses, and many heat safety measures are common sense, widely accepted and necessary to save lives.\u00a0Tell Congress to protect workers from the heat, and block H.R. 6213 NOW.<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0AS GOES TEXAS LABOR\u2026<\/p>\n Austin:\u00a0Potential strike looms as CapMetro bus workers urge board to pressure Keolis<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Austin American-Statesman, featuring\u00a0Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1091 President Brent Payne<\/p>\n Dallas:\u00a0Despite high-profile deaths, \u2018nothing has changed\u2019 for USPS carriers working in heat<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Dallas Observer, featuring\u00a0National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 132 President Kimetra Lewis<\/p>\n Houston:\u00a0Houston protest brings out union workers who seek answers in ICE shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Houston Chronicle, featuring\u00a0Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Texas President Elsa Flores and\u00a0member Antonia Escamilla<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfc6 Houston:\u00a0Highlights from AGMA\u2019s New Four-Year Agreement with Houston Ballet<\/a> \u2014\u00a0American Guild of Musical Artists<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfc6 Lubbock: \u2018Future of West Texas\u2019: Lubbock\u2019s new training center<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Everything Lubbock, featuring\u00a0SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 49 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Isaiah Zemke, Business Representative Shawn Smith, and Training Coordinator Matthew Allen<\/p>\n Texas City:\u00a0The Workers\u2019 Mic talk Ashland Specialty Chemicals strike & wage theft<\/a> \u2014\u00a0WGN Radio 720, featuring International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 564 Business Manager Charlie Singletary and Business Agent Lewis Crawford<\/p>\n Statewide:\u00a0Texas bet on privatized foster care. EMPOWER tested its limits<\/a> \u2014\u00a0KERA, featuring\u00a0Texas State Employees Union (TSEU – CWA Local 6186) Organizer Christie Carrington<\/p>\n Statewide:\u00a0Texas AFT, Texas AFL-CIO unveil slate of State Board of Education endorsements<\/a><\/p>\n NEWS TO USE<\/p>\n Case to Be Dropped Against Labor Leader Caught in L.A. Immigration Raid<\/a> \u2014\u00a0The New York Times<\/p>\n Black Women Deserve Equal Pay. Unions Help Make It Happen.<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Black Press USA, by\u00a0AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond<\/p>\n AFSCME Leader Lee Saunders to Retire as Unions Face Increased Threats<\/a> \u2014\u00a0The New York Times<\/p>\n The case for tripling union membership<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Economic Policy Institute\u00a0<\/p>\n AI & TECH NEWS BITE\u00a0<\/p>\n Inside the AI protections union workers are winning<\/a> \u2014\u00a0Axios TEXAS LABOR FAMILY NEWS\ud83c\udfc3 ON THE MOVE<\/p>\n The\u00a0International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District (SAGCD)\u00a0held its 93rd Convention<\/a> in Galveston this week.<\/p>\n Katy AFT\u00a0delivered a petition<\/a> signed by 691 Katy ISD employees to their Board of Trustees, asking them to launch a thorough investigation into the employee health plan.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc90 IN MEMORY<\/p>\n Sister\u00a0Priscilla Ann Brown<\/a>, vice president of the\u00a0Communication Workers of America (CWA) District 6 Retired Members Chapter (RMC) in Fort Worth, passed away on Jul. 5 at the age of 94.\u00a0<\/p>\n Brother\u00a0Gary Gauntt<\/a>, a retired member of\u00a0Teamsters Local 767 (Mesquite), passed away recently.<\/p>\n Brother\u00a0Dustin Homeyer<\/a>, member of\u00a0International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 278 (Corpus Christi), passed away on Jul. 19 at the age of 50.<\/p>\n Brother\u00a0Tony Ray Lawson<\/a>, member of\u00a0IBEW Local 66 (Houston), passed away on Jul. 22 at the age of 63.<\/p>\n Brother\u00a0George Edwards (Eddie) Morgan<\/a>, a super activist with the\u00a0Texas Alliance for Retired Americans (TARA) in Dallas, passed away on Jul. 16 at the age of 69.<\/p>\n Brother Douglas Pompey<\/a>, member of\u00a0El Paso Association of Firefighters (IAFF Local 51), passed away on May 17 at the age of 74.<\/p>\n Sister\u00a0Robbie Sparks<\/a>, founder and president emeritus of the\u00a0Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, passed away on Jul. 28 at the age of 84. Her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of\u00a0IBEW activists.<\/p>\n Brother\u00a0Nicolas Valles III<\/a>, member of\u00a0United Association (UA) Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 286 (Austin), passed away on Jul. 24 at the age of 52.<\/p>\n Our hearts go out to their union families and all who loved them.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcdc THIS WEEK IN TEXAS LABOR HISTORY\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0Texas AFL-CIO was formed on July 29, 1957, when two separate labor groups joined together: the Texas State Federation of Labor and the Texas State CIO Council.<\/p>\n SOLIDARITY CORNER: EVENTS & ACTIONS\ud83d\udea8 TAKE ACTION<\/p>\n STRIKE SUPPORT: Support Texas City Metal Trades Council members on ULP strike at Ashland Specialty Chemicals<\/p>\n Sign the petition & send a message<\/a>Donate to the strike fund<\/a>Join the picket line<\/a><\/p>\n ADD YOUR NAME:\u00a0<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc6 EVENTS THIS WEEK<\/p>\n Friday, Jul. 31 in Texas City: \u270a\u00a0Picket with Texas City Metal Trades Council at Ashland Specialty Chemicals<\/a> Friday, Jul. 31 in Pasadena: \ud83e\udd1d\u00a013th Annual Gulf Coast BCTC Conservation Dinner<\/a> Monday, Aug. 3 in Grand Prairie: \ud83c\udfa4\u00a0North Texas Labor Town Hall<\/a> Wednesday, Aug. 5 online: \ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83c\udfeb\u00a0AFL-CIO Training: Common Sense Economics and Artificial Intelligence<\/a> Thursday, Aug. 6 online: \ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83c\udfeb\u00a0AFL-CIO Training: Frontline Solidarity: Immigration Tools for Organizers and Activists<\/a> See all upcoming Texas labor events here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcdd APPLICATIONS & PROGRAMS<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83c\udfeb\u00a0Texas AFL-CIO Solidarity School: Immigration Training Program<\/a> \ud83d\udcaa TEXAS UNION STAFF JOBS\ud83d\udcf8\u00a0PHOTO OF THE WEEK<\/p>\n CapMetro \/ Keolis workers represented by ATU Local 1091 are calling on the CapMetro board to take care of the workers who make our community run! Send a message:\u00a0bit.ly\/capmetroaction<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Photo by AFSCME Local 1624<\/p>\n
The NewsGuild currently has between 85 and 90 contracts with explicit AI provisions. At\u00a0Politico, unionized reporters forced management into arbitration after the newsroom\u00a0introduced<\/a> inaccurate AI reporting tools without the union’s permission.<\/p>\n
Workers at Ashland Specialty Chemicals in Texas City are on an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. Join them every Friday from 5:30 to 7:30pm.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Join the Texas Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council for the 13th Annual Conservation Dinner, benefitting the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Join the\u00a0Texas AFL-CIO for the next stop on our statewide listening tour! We want to talk with North Texas members about the future of the labor movement and our state.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n
This workshop will explain the basics of how AI and technology impact workers, how tech billionaires impact the economy, and how together union members can build an economy that works for all people.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n
This session will provide participants with information to navigate the escalating attacks on immigrant workers and discuss resources available for unions and organizers.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Registration deadline: Monday, Aug. 3
This four-part series will provide labor leaders with information on the political landscape in Texas that created the conditions for anti-union, anti-immigrant policies to pass, as well as actionable skills for unions to assess their rapid-response capabilities.\u00a0Details<\/a>.<\/p>\n