Tyler area retirees are with us!

One aspect of our Texas outreach program is for Texas Alliance leaders to personally visit retirees and supporters all over the state. President Gene Lantz kicked off the New Year with a visit to Tyler on January 3. First stop was the widow of our fallen leader, President Shane Fox. Sandra Fox was very happy to help the Alliance in any way possible, and committed to attend the convention at the Omni Southpark Hotel in Austin. She'll be there at 9 AM on January 27 when it starts!

Steelworkers Local 746, once the very hub of the labor movement in East Texas and still serving its members and retirees even though the Goodyear Tire Factory has closed, was the next visit. President Harold Sweat was eager to see the local retirees, organized as a Steelworkers SOAR chapter, cooperating with the rest of the state to defend retirees. He kept a big pile of our literature to give out to the many retirees still dropping by the union hall. One very fascinating idea that came from the meeting had to do with the Steelworkers' reaching out to all retirees, whether or not they are union members. That is exactly what the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans must do, and intends to do!

The last stop in the Tyler area visit was the Anderson County Central Labor Council meeting. They listened attentively while Lantz talked about the great potential for educating and organizing Texas retirees. The President of the Council is the legendary labor leader, John Nash. Before he retired, Nash served as head of the union local for 31 years. During that time, most labor events and meetings occurred in the union hall that was named after Nash.

In a very pleasant surprise move, President John Nash asked the Anderson County Central Labor Council members if they could pay the transportation costs entailed by the Alliance in the visit. They quickly did it, by a unanimous vote!

If all the visits around Texas go as well for the Texas Alliance as the visit to the Tyler area, we are going to have a very strong network in 2012!