2007 Texas AFL-CIO Convention Report
The 2007 Texas AFL-CIO Convention took place in Corpus Christi from August 2nd through the 4th. Tony Acosta, John Johnson, Bob Strebeck and I attended on behalf of local 567. The convention agenda included a number of speakers, various workshops and election of officers.
Tony Acosta presented a Community Service Award in front of the entire delegation to our own John Hohenbrink (Hoho). John was nominated by our local Executive Board and selected by the Texas AFL-CIO Selection Committee.
Emmett Sheppard retired as president and, in a first for any statewide AFL-CIO, Becky Moeller, a woman, was elected president. Miss Moeller was the seated Secretary-Treasurer. As far as our District 8 was concerned, former TWU member Dr. Tony Brozek lost his Vice President’s position. In his place Dr. Tony Jackson from the Doctor’s Guild was elected. This change was endorsed by all the TWU delegates in attendance. The feeling was that Dr. Brozek had lost his effectiveness. Currently, Texas is the only state that allows a company (AA included) to require an employee to be seen by the doctor of the company’s choice in a workers compensation claim. The Texas AFL-CIO plans to fight this law and Dr. Jackson was elected based on his commitment to work with the Texas AFL-CIO to overturn that law. He is expected to provide expert testimony when required and to lobby on our behalf. District 8 is allowed four Vice Presidents on the Texas AFL-CIO Board, those four are Tom Carlin (TWU), Mark House (UAW), T. C. Gillespie (CWA) and Dr. Tony Jackson (Doctors Guild/OPEIU). It is understood that Dr. Jackson is holding a seat normally entitled to a TWU representative.
As expected, the focus looking forward is on the 2008 presidential elections. The AFL-CIO does not plan on endorsing a candidate until after the primaries. We fully expect that the next president will be signing the Employee Free Choice Act within his first few days in office. The AFL-CIO will not endorse a candidate that does not commit to support the EFCA.
The following committees made reports to the convention:
- Phillip Randolph Institute,
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA),
- Communications,
- Constitution and By-Laws,
- Education,
- Federal Employees,
- Organizing and Buy Union,
- Retired Members,
- State and Local Government Employees,
- Women’s Issues/CLUW
- Worker’s Compensation.
The following workshops were held:
- AFL-CIO Ten Point Program (on worksite organizing),
- Building Partnerships-Strengthening Labor Force,
- Community Services,
- Democratic Convention Delegate Selection Process,
- Prevention and Management of Chronic Illness,
- Working Through The DOL LM Maze.
Full text copies of the committee reports, the workshop agendas as well as the daily convention report are available upon request.
Many interesting facts and figures came to light during the convention. For example Union membership in the United States is around 7%, in other countries such as Brazil and South Africa, Union membership is around 30%. The labor laws in the United States are less labor friendly than in any other countries except, perhaps, China and Columbia (4000 labor leaders have been killed in Columbia). Garment industry workers in China are largely very young girls making between $90.00 and $190.00 monthly after working 7 days a week and 12-18 hours a day. They live in factory dorms and their pay is docked for meals and lodging. People everywhere in the world have more and better bargaining right than we do. This is why we need the Employee Free Choice Act.
No convention would be complete with soliciting the delegates for money, all delegates were encouraged to donate to the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Fund. Yes, there is a Texas COPE Fund in addition to the International TWU COPE Fund. All members are encouraged to donate to both funds. Donation cards, forms and information are available upon request.
The United Labor Legislative Committee (ULLCO) report is available if you would like to see the scorecard for the 2007 Texas legislative session. Several measures that we supported regarding improvements to Worker’s Compensation and unemployment insurance were passed. Unfortunately we were defeated on a couple of notable issues including unemployment insurance for innocent third party victims of a strike. An awful bill that allows the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use almost all inmate labor in parks was also passed. Copies of this report are also available upon request.
The following organizations provided information:
Further information, including membership applications, is available upon request.
Finally, the Texas AFL-CIO Scholarship Fund provides $1000.00 scholarship funds to hundreds of high school graduates from union families throughout Texas. Winners are selected by local Labor Councils (in our case the Tarrant County Central Labor Council - TCCLC). They are seeking donations. Forms are available upon request. This is a truly worthwhile cause.
(To obtain any of the information sited above contact Gary Moffitt through the Union Hall or by email at moffitt567@verizon.net.)
Gary Moffitt,
Legislative Director
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