Lone Star Labor: Abbott's big voucher scam
ONE BIG THING: ABBOTT PUSHES VOUCHER SCAM
On Tuesday, the Texas Senate Education Committee took the first step towards advancing Gov. Greg Abbott and extremist Republicans’ school voucher scam, which would funnel $1 billion of your taxpayer dollars away from public schools and into the coffers of unaccountable private schools.
Let’s get into what they don’t want you to know about their voucher scam.
They’re saying that families could get $10,000 per year to fund private education, but the reality is that much of this money would go to families who can already afford private school. Under the Senate proposal, a family of four making over $160,000 a year would be eligible for the program, while the median household income in Texas is much lower — around $76,000 a year.
It’s no surprise that this scam doesn’t actually help low-income families, given how similar programs have played out in other states. In Arizona, for instance, the majority of vouchers go to wealthy families making far above the state’s median household income. And when they do go to a family with lower income, they rarely cover the full cost of private school.
There are many more important education issues lawmakers should be addressing. For starters, 9 out of 10 Texas public school students attend an underfunded school, and our teachers make almost $10,000 less than the national average. According to Texas AFT’s latest membership survey, nearly 70% of teachers have considered leaving the profession in the past year, and nearly 80% have experienced burnout.
Lawmakers should be focused on fully funding our public schools and taking care of our teachers! And Texans agree: just 1% of Texans say vouchers should be the top priority for the legislature.
Lawmakers are going to hear us loud and clear: public dollars belong in public schools!
AS GOES TEXAS LABOR…
Hertz Hurts Workers: Teamster Customer Service Representatives at Hertz DFW Airport are on strike
Watch: Texas State Employees Union Press Conference on Pay Raises and Pension Increases with State Rep. John Bucy III
Texas Union Membership Numbers Reach 10-Year High
NEWS TO USE
'Not a buyout': Attorneys and unions urge federal workers not to resign – NPR
Austin-based Whole Foods sees first union form at Philadelphia location – Austin-American Statesman ($)
Trump fires senior labor board official in ‘unprecedented and illegal’ move – The Guardian
TEXAS LABOR FAMILY NEWS
📜 On This Day…
On Jan. 31, 1938, an estimated 12,000 pecan shellers, mostly Latina women, walked off the job in San Antonio to protest low pay and dangerous working conditions. Over the next three months, the courageous workers faced off with the powerful shelling companies and the city government, who sent police to break picket lines with tear gas and clubs. Hundreds of strikers were arrested and thrown into overcrowded jails with inhumane conditions – yet the strike continued.
Eventually, the strikers secured higher wages and the formal recognition of their union, the International Pecan Shellers Union No. 172. The strike also shifted San Antonio’s political landscape, with Mexican-Americans long-ignored by the local political establishment newly empowered to make their voices heard.
Now, organizer Emma Tenayuca is embraced by San Antonio — she was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame in 1991 and just last year, the San Antonio City Council renamed a street after her.
💐 In Memory
Our hearts are with our union family and all victims and their loved ones of the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C. yesterday. May they rest in peace.
SOLIDARITY CORNER: EVENTS & ACTIONS
Jan. 31: 2025 High School Scholarship Application Deadline
TOMORROW is the application deadline for our 2025 High School Scholarship! Last year, we awarded 21 outstanding high school seniors from union families $1,500 each. Encourage your high school senior to apply or pass the info along! Details and application HERE.
If you are able, please consider donating to the Scholarship Fund.
Jan. 31: In These Times Labor Organizer of the Year Award Nomination Deadline
Labor magazine In These Times has launched an inaugural Labor Organizer of the Year Award! Three winners will be awarded a cash prize of $25,000 each, as well as $25,000 for their respective organization, union, or campaign. Nominations close TOMORROW, January 31st. Details and application HERE.
Feb. 2: State of the State address union response
On Sunday, two Texas union members will help deliver the response to Abbott’s State of the State address! We’ll be watching to cheer on Dior Edison, Northside AFT building rep and elementary school teacher in San Antonio, and Bobby Ramos, president and field representative for Laborers Local 350 in Houston. Tune in on your local Nexstar station.
Feb. 3-9: Starbucks Workers United Action
Unionized Starbucks baristas are escalating their fight for a fair contract by canvassing every single not-yet-union Starbucks store in the country – and they need OUR help to make it happen! SBWU is asking allies in the DFW area to canvas not-yet-union Starbucks stores to talk to baristas and customers alike from Feb. 3-9. Register your event here to receive resources, links to flyers, and an invite to an optional training on Feb. 5.
For allies outside of the area, SBWU will be hosting a massive phone banking effort on Feb. 8 and 9 to talk to baristas at every single not-yet-union store. Register HERE to sign up to phonebank – the union recommends organizing a phone banking party so members can do it together!
Feb. 4: Texas Senate Tentatively Scheduled to Consider Voucher Scam
The Texas Senate may consider its voucher bill, SB 2. Keep an eye out for action items and ways to get involved to defeat this scam in the coming days.
June 26 - 28: 2025 Texas AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention
Save the date! Join your fellow Texas union members in San Antonio from June 26-28 for our 2025 Constitutional Convention. More details to come!
📸 Photo of the Week
Hays County EMS workers celebrated the ratification of their first contract with a ceremonial signing with members of the San Marcos Board of Directors. Pictured left to right: CWA Local 6115 Treasurer Greg Humphries, CWA Local 6115 Chief Steward Stephen Baehr, Former Hays County Commissioner/Company Bargaining Chair Lon Shell, San Marcos Hays County EMS Interim Chief Jill Rosales, CWA Local 6115 President Zack Phillips, Chief Steward Dylan Thompson, Vice President Robert Sanchez, Secretary Tom Maia, and Chief Steward Stacie George. [Photo from CWA Local 6115]
Did you enjoy this newsletter? Let us know and submit photos, events, and other Texas labor news at labor@texasaflcio.org!