Workers' Rights are Human Rights

A Great article about Houston Federation of Teachers President Gayle Fallon

If it hadn’t been for becoming involved in the civil rights movement, I would never have become involved in the labor movement—because they were one in the same,” she says. 'It’s all about human rights and human dignity. I didn’t see any difference.'

Read the full story.

Who Does Houston Work For?

In Houston, over 20 percent of our workforce is trapped in low-wage occupations — a significantly higher percentage than Chicago’s 12 percent or New York’s 10 percent. Even in Detroit, where cost of living is lower than that of Houston’s, only 10 percent of their workforce makes minimum wage.

Read the full story here.

Despite working full time, Annishia and her fellow workers are forced to survive on less than $13,000 a year — an income that is far below the national poverty cutoff of $22,350 for a family of four. By contrast, the Economic Policy Institute’s family budget calculator estimates the basic cost of living for a family of four in the Houston area to be $63,600 annually.

American Federation of Teachers & the Texas AFL-CIO Team Up with COPA Univision Soccer Tournament

American Federation of Teachers & the Texas AFL-CIO Team Up
with COPA Univision Soccer Tournament

Volunteers Needed

The American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO will be hosting a booth at the COPA Univision Soccer Tournament on Saturday, June 15, 2013. The Union booth will be distributing books for children, information on immigration reform, workplace rights and safety and education tips for parents on reading to their children. There will also be opportunities to read to the children who visit the booth.

We will need volunteers to:

Assist in staffing our Union booth
Help distribute the books and other information
Read to the children
Please email me at shawtrek@aol.com your preference for the shift along with your name, cell phone number and email address. Thank you.

Please note that there is a $5 parking fee that will be charged to park in the parking lots that are around the complex.

Information on the event is below. If you would like to sign up for a shift in the Union booth, please email me, and let me know what you would like to do. Shifts are from 7am to 11 am, 11 am to 3 pm, 3 pm to 7 pm.

COPA Univision 2013
Soccer Tournament
June 15, 2013
7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Houston Amateur Sports Park - HASP
1221 Kirby Drive
Houston, Texas 77051

http://www.houstonamateursportspark.com/events/copaunivision/
http://www.houstonamateursportspark.com/about-hasp/ground-maps--parking/


Thank you and in solidarity,

Richard C. Shaw
Secretary-Treasurer
Harris County AFL-CIO Council

Keep Guns Out Of Our Schools

Hi Friends. I hope you are enjoying May Term. The "campus carry" law that would allow guns on college campuses has passed the Texas House and will be coming up for a vote very soon in the Senate. I'm forwarding you a message with information about how to contact your senator to register your opinion. Although this comes from the Texas Democratic Party this is truly a bipartisan issue. We don't need to feel more unsafe on campus than we already do and our students don't need that either. Conventional wisdom says that, for every call or letter a legislature receives, they assume that at least 10 other people feel the same way. Consider making a call today!!! Thanks!!! John








Dear Democrats --


We need your help protecting Texas' colleges. This is urgent.


Republicans in the Texas Senate are pushing a dangerous bill -- the so-called "Campus Carry bill" -- that would reverse a decades-old ban on weapons in our college campuses.1

We need your calls today to stop this bill. Call your senator right now and tell them to vote to vote "NO" on the "Campus Carry" bill.

Click here to record your call and get the phone number for your senator.

At the start of this year, Texas Democrats convened a Task Force for Common Sense on Gun Violence. Our findings after collaborating with community leaders, mental health experts, gun owners, hunters, and educators?

Banning guns on college campuses is common sense gun control, except when those firearms are possessed or carried by certified peace officers. The Task Force was firmly against lifting the ban. So are we.

Can you call your senator right now? We need to remind Democrats AND Republicans that Texans don't want to see this ban lifted.

Please call your senator right now and tell them to vote “NO” on the “Campus Carry” bill. Then record how your call went by clicking here.

Thanks,

Gilberto Hinojosa

Spring Branch AFT School Employees Need Our Help

Spring Branch AFT is our newest Union in the Harris County AFL-CIO Council. Let's all welcome them and wish them the best in representing Spring Branch ISD employees and fighting for them. Below is their first effort in getting a much-needed pay raise for the employees. Please sign on and let the Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees know where you stand on this pay raise. Let them know that we are all standing with them!





Thank you for your help and in solidarity,





Richard C. Shaw


Secretary-Treasurer


Harris County AFL-CIO Council





Action Link:





http://action.aft.org/c/953/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=6428







Urge Our School Board to Support a Fair Pay Raise for All SBISD EmployeesOn May 20, the Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees will vote upon a proposed pay increase for educators. Currently proposed is just a 1% increase with the potential of another 1%. In January, the Board of Trustees approved a 3.5% salary increase for the superintendent in addition to benefit upgrades.School employees will have increases in their costs for healthcare and paying out of pocket for school supplies. A one or two percent increase will not cover the costs of healthcare increases in some cases causing an actual net loss in salary overall. We need you to take action now!

Send our Spring Branch AFT electronic letter now urging the Board of Trustees to approve a 3.5% pay increase to help SBISD remain competitive in retaining/attracting high quality professionals. It is the position of Spring Branch AFT that no employee receives a salary cut due to rising costs of healthcare. Salaries and benefits for teachers and support personnel, in fairness, should match what is given to top district administrative personnel.

RSVP to join Spring Branch AFT at the May 20 board meeting which will take place at Memorial High School starting at 7:00 p.m. Please plan to arrive early if you wish to sign-up to speak during public comments. We need to be both seen and heard.
If you are one of the many employees who will experience higher costs in healthcare next year, and where a 1% pay increase will not keep up with those rising costs, then tell us your story. Send your thoughts to Spring Branch AFT president Craig Adams at cadams@springbranchaft.org.

Send Online E-Letter: Click Here

RSVP to Stand with SBAFT at the May 20th Board Meeting: Click Here



For questions, contact our office by calling 713/468-4700 or visit us online at www.springbranchaft.org or Facebook.com/SBAFT.

Harris County AFL-CIO Council May Newsletter

Harris County AFL-CIO Council May Newsletter

 Harris County AFL-CIO Council  

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD – NLRB – IN JEOPARDY 2013 

LABOR DAY Weekend BBQ COOK-OFF 

AFL-CIO WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU   

Click the hyperlink for more information on these items.

Documents Reveal When Students Were Notified of Stabbings at Cy-Fair

Early voting starts TODAY and runs through May 7.

Click here for voting times and locations.

Election day is May 11th, 2013

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According to a Channel 2 local news story, 41 minutes elapsed between the first 911 call and activation of the emergency alert system after the April 9 stabbing spree at LSC Cy-Fair. After hearing from students who were concerned that they had not been notified about the danger, an open records request was filed. 

"Following an evacuation of the campus, Senior Vice Chancellor Rand Key told reporters during a news conference that security alerts were sent 'immediately,' but declined to talk specifics." Click here to see the full story or watch the news video (about 2 minutes). 

We need trustees who will hold the senior administration accountable for keeping students safe and telling the truth.

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If The Advocate is being confiscated at your campus, click here to read it online.

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If you are interested the latest news and information from AFT Lone Star, you can find us on Facebook Click here to unsubscribe

Jensen, Branham and Trowbridge Receive Unanimous Endorsements

The Montgomery and Harris County Central Labor Councils (AFL-CIO) have endorsed Lone Star College System Board of Trustees candidates Liz Jensen (Position 1), Janie Branham (Position 2), and Ron Trowbridge (Position 8). All three candidates are challengers to incumbents who are seeking reelection. The Montgomery County Council voted unanimously to endorse Jensen, Branham, and Trowbridge on March 12, and the Harris County Council followed suit on March 27. AFT Lone Star delegate Bob Locander remarked, “Over the years, Secretary-Treasurer Mahle of Montgomery County and Secretary Richard Shaw of Harris County have been extremely supportive allies of teachers and staff.” 

Election Day is May 11. 

Early Voting starts April 29, and lasts through May 7.

Click here for voting times and locations. 

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