Published 07 Sep, 2011
Texas union members, officials and retiree’s kicked off the Labor Day weekend early by joining AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka for an afternoon lunch Sept. 1st in Dallas hosted by the Texas AFL-CIO. Union members gathered to hear Trumka speak about the legislative challenges labor faces and the continued unemployment crisis in America.
That morning, President Trumka attended the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Listening and Action Session at Southern Methodist University. He was joined by Jobs Council Members: Lew Hay, Chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy; Gary Kelly, President and CEO of Southwest Airlines; Matthew Rose, Chairman and CEO, BNSF Railway; Laura Tyson, Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley; and Robert Wolf, President, USB Investment Bank.
The council’s guest speaker was Secretary Ray LaHood, Department of Transportation; followed by Tom Donohue, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and David Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation.
The council discussions included ideas designed to improve our nation’s infrastructure while creating jobs and providing economic growth for the future. Attending the SMU session were administration officials, business and union leaders. They concluded that the transportation industry is rife with opportunities considered key to jump starting job creation, rebuilding the country’s crumbling infrastructure with improvements in air, rail and transit jobs.
During the labor lunch, President Trumka thanked those attending for the warm Texas welcome and asked for support from locals and members in fighting back against the relentless attacks on labor legislation, unions and working families. Trumka forcefully reiterated the point, “corporate cash dominates politics right now” and the fight we have.
“We have a fight on our hands against the corporate powers, and we got in to the labor movement to fight for the American dream, so that others can share in that same dream.”