Texas Labor Chooses Candidates and Issues

(Texas Alliance for Retired Americans)

Retiree activist Elaine Jones, Linda Chavez-Thompson, and Linda Bridges

The Texas AFL-CIO held its Committee on Political Education (COPE) meeting here on February 6-7. Labor leaders from across the vast state gathered to discuss the issues and candidates leading up to the March 2 primary and the November general elections. Texas Alliance President Annie Banks and Secretary Gene Lantz participated fully. One of the best speakers was 90-year old former Texas AFL-CIO president Hank Brown.

The jobs crisis brought the most attention and the most applause when speakers talked about government action to end sky-high unemployment. Mike Cavanaugh, an AFL-CIO staffer from Washington DC, outlined the problem clearly: “Unemployment is going to be sky high for the foreseeable future."

Among the resolutions passed at the end of the conference was one calling strongly for government action: “NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the delegates to the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention call on Congress to support the AFL-CIO program to return Americans to work; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the delegates endorse quick action on job creation -- which is not to be confused with blind subsidies to employers who do not follow through on job creation promises. America needs good jobs now.”

Among the candidates for statewide audience that were endorsed, former AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez Thompson seemed to be the favorite.

Texas labor is especially concerned about getting a big turnout in November because they are close to re-taking the Texas House where U.S. congressional districts will be re-districted. Texans expect to take at least three, but probably four, more seats in the U.S. Congress after the census figures are known.

Here are Labor's endorsements:

Governor, Bill White

Lt Gov, Linda Chavez-Thompson

Attorney General Barbara Ann Radnofski

Agricultural Commissioner: Hank Gilbert

Railroad Commissioner: Jeff Weems

Texas Supreme Court, Place 3: Jim Sharp

Texas Supreme Court Place 5, Bill Moody

Texas Supreme Court Place 9, Blake Baily

Court of Criminal Appeals Place 6 Keith Hampton

Chair of Texas Democratic Party, Boyd Richie

They also recommended the local endorsements from the Central Labor Councils

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