As the crisis rages on in Texas and worldwide, the bosses continue to try to lay off all the misery on those who work for a living. The Texas legislature is threatening tens of thousands of jobs in education and state services. At the same time, like the federal government, they have shown no intention of doing anything serious to alleviate the unemployment crisis.
"Protect and extend public jobs" is a good slogan. Not only do we want to save state jobs and the services that go with them, but we want government to create more jobs as they did during the last great unemployment crisis. No matter how much we want to help the unions save jobs and services, we must not turn our backs on the millions of unemployed and underemployed. They are suffering the most!
We need to get behind anybody that is carrying out all or any part of our slogan. The Texas AFL-CIO Legislative Director Rene Lara sent this out:
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Alert to all Texas Labor Union Members
Do you have children or grandchildren in public school?
Is anyone in your family a teacher or other school employee?
Perhaps you simply believe that it’s in everyone’s best interest for Texas kids to be well-educated?
Sign the Texas teacher union’s petition at: http://www.22to1.org.
Tell your friends and family, please!
Plus, if big budget cuts concern you in all areas such as:
Sign up at: http://act.aflcio.org/signup_page/sign-up
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You don't have to be a union member to help, but you can become a union member for legal purposes by signing up with Working America.
The teachers are planning a massive lobbying day March 14, and they want everybody to join them. Buses are being arranged from all over Texas. In Dallas, contact Judy Bryant of Alliance/AFT. She will ask you for a $25 check made out to "Alliance/AFT," but you will get it back when you get on the bus morning of March 14. It's just a deposit so they know how many buses to order.
Jobs with Justice is also trying to work with the Texas State Employees' Union. Their web page says that lobby day is April 6 and that $15 is required for the bus trip and lunch. At this time, we don't know exactly how transportation will be organized, but we intend to spread the word as soon as we know.
The assault against all working people's wages and benefits extends to North Texas' largest employer, American Airlines. They have been keeping their employees back for years past contract expiration dates. The Transport Workers Union is taking the lead in activities during Super Bowl weekend. They ask for our help and solidarity:
Jobs with Justice is waiting to see if there is a particular time that everyone should aggregate. Meantime, activists should just plan to help them whenever possible. Contact organizer Mark York for info.
I have not yet confirmed it, but I think there some students have called for a rally in solidarity with the people of Egypt at 3 PM Sunday, Feb 6, at Dallas City Hall. The crisis is worldwide.
Love & solidarity, Gene
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