SWOPblogger

This is a direct repost of SWU's blog, pictures and all. A link (that so many won't follow) just won't do this victory justice! At the very end, they gave SWOP props--many thanks to our Texas friends, but you guys really showed us how it's done--the San Antonio Current called it a "Deeply Historic Vote."

With record shattering turn out, the voters of Hondo, Texas elected 3 members of the Hondo Empowerment Committee (HEC) to the Hondo City Council on May 10th. In an elections typically decided by less than 10% of registered voters, the efforts of HEC and SWU turned out over 51% (or 1,622) voters. Focusing on low-income and Latino areas of town, the Nuestra Voz campaign brought out first time and newly registered voters in force. This is the first time in known history that the Mexican majority town has had a Mexican majority on the Council.

The deep seated legacy of racism and good 'ol boy system pushed back to shut the community out of the elections. Hondo is a City of 8,000, 40 miles west of San Antonio, plagued with a racial and class divide reminiscent of the 1950s. 80% of residents are people of color, predominantly Mexican with a small African-American population. This community is 6 times more likely than its white counterparts to living in poverty. The median income for a household in the city is under $28,000. 1/3 of children live in poverty.

The Nuestra Voz Campaign went door to door for two months educating voters and potential voters about the importance of building our power through using the electoral system and undoing the mentality that 'change is not possible.' We developed a platform around revitalization, education and the environment which was endorsed by the 3 winning candidates, registered 250 new voters and organized numerous events to express our demands for a better Hondo.

From giving Mexican voters ineligible 'sample ballots' to fill out to changing the process for casting your vote to watching voters fill out the ballots to implementing unlawful ID requirements, the establishment attempted to keep folks out of the polling place. Voting cards and vote by mail ballots were sent out late. Even after the election was over the City attempted to load the ballot boxes into the car of the incumbents' husband. After early voting (with record turn out), before election day, the local paper, the Hondo Anvil Herald front page stated:

"voting in the election, which has a record breaking early vote, is crucial if a fair representation of the city's electorate is to decide to keep their current city council members, who by all reports and indications have been very productive, or to replace one, two of all three of them with their challengers."

In spite of the intimidation, the Nuestra Voz campaign pushed back through know-your-rights trainings, engaging state lawyers in voter protection and maintaining a constant presence in the City and County. Volunteers were on the streets every day during early voting and election day to get out the vote, offer rides, assure all eligible voters were counted and energize the community to the polls. Never had so much attention or energy surrounded an election.

In the end the voters rejected the status quo politics and voted for change. HEC is working on establishing meetings with each of the new councilpeople to review our platform for change and maintain a strong sense of accountability to all the folks that came out to vote. HEC will use the energy from the elections to encourage more transparency from the city, more participation in local issues and increase in resources directed towards the needs of the historical marginalized residents.

The elections proves a HUGE victory for the people and for the Hondo Empowerment Committee. Many thanks to our sister organizations SWOP, Southern Echo and CVH for their invaluable support and expertise.

We showed without a doubt our ability to mobilize power and make a huge difference at the polls. Election day is just the beginning. Adelante con la revolucion!

Labels: 2008 Elections, Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, SWU

Real Change Hondo slate goes 3 for 3 in a landslide.

The numbers reported by text from Hondo:

• Chavel Lopez won with 902 votes compared to 720 votes for his opponent.
• Lucio Torrez won with 840 compared to 181 votes for his opponent.
• And Virginia Gonzalez won 865 votes compared to 607 votes for her opponent.

Some more numbers:

• Over 50% turnout of registered voters.
• 35% turnout was early, absentee or by mail.
• 50 car caravan through the streets of Hondo after results announced.

Labels: 2008 Elections, Civic Engagement, SWU, voting

20 years in the struggle for dignity and justice.

Labels: SWU

Nearly 60 union supporters marched from the East Side to downtown under a blazing midday sun Saturday to protest what they called poverty wages that school districts pay to cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teacher aides, education assistants and other school support staff.

"We're demanding a living wage," said Southwest Workers Union organizer Che Lopez. A living wage would be $13.75 an hour for a family of three and is based on federal poverty guidelines, he said.

The issue touches about 120,000 school workers throughout the city, said union organizer Tanya Garduño. Salaries for most of the workers are at or near the minimum wage, currently $5.85 an hour, she said.

Many of the marchers wore yellow T-shirts with the slogan "School Zone — Caution — Poverty Wages" written in English and Spanish.

At noon they stopped at the Bill Miller's Bar-B-Q at East Durango, across from the Alamodome where the Dallas Cowboys were practicing.

The union claims the restaurant chain pays workers on the South Side $6.50 an hour while North Side workers get $9 an hour for the same work.

The difference in wages is another example of how the county is divided between rich and poor, said Robert Alvarado of the Brown Berets, who was marching in sympathy with the protesters.

Labels: living wage, SWU, worker's rights

The first day of the Hunger strike was Friday. Today, they demonstrated again.

Solidarity for all hunger strikers and migrants!

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Che Lopez
Office 210 299.2666
Cell (210) 378-5132

Organizers Stage 1-Day Hunger Strike in Front of Senator Cornyn’s Office

“We are demanding family reunification, a stop to all deportations & an end to racist laws. This is a symbolic action in support of migrant and worker rights leading up to the May 1st General Strike.”, states Sandra Garcia, Youth Leadership Organization.

Friday, April 20, 2007
10 AM
Senator Cornyn’s Office @ 600 Navarro

Members of the May 1st Coalition hold a hunger strike today to highlight the unjust immigration policies that separate families. Members of Southwest Workers Union and other organizations will not eat in solidarity with Elvira Arellano and her son Saulito.

Elvira is facing deportation, and is currently residing in church sanctuary in Chicago in order to be able to stay with her son. The strikers will refuse food from 8AM to 5PM today, in the spirit of the 8 hour work day which was won by striking workers on May 1st, 1886 and will be commemorated with a general strike and march in San Antonio Tuesday, May 1st.

Two weeks ago, Senator Cornyn introduced a draft bill that would eliminate visas for the reunification of families. Drafted in closed door meetings with the Bush Administration, the bill will only allow workers to come the U.S. as “guest workers” and virtual slaves.

Strikers and the May 1st Coalition rejects Cornyn’s racist proposals to divide our families, separate parents from their children, and create a sub-class of workers without protections from exploitation. We demand just and humane immigration reform now that protects the rights of migrant workers and families to live with dignity in the U.S.

1-day hunger strikes will be repeated on April 24th and May 1st culminating with the May 1st General Strike and March. May 1st events will begin with a rally at 12 noon at Milam Park 500 West Commerce (In front of Santa Rosa Hospital). The March begins at 6 PM from Milam to Travis Parks.

“This May 1st is being organized to celebrate the contributions that migrants & working class communities offer to society & the economy of the United States.” states Diana Lopez.

Labels: hunger strike, Immigration, May 1st, SWU

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
April 11, 2007

Several hundred people protested outside the Texas Capitol on Tuesday,
saying proposed legislation would discriminate against illegal
immigrants by denying them education and health care.

"There's a hypocrisy that says, 'We want you to come; we want you to
work cheaply, but we don't want to give you any rights,' " state Rep. Jose
Menendez, D-San Antonio, told the crowd.

Lawmakers have filed more than three dozen proposals focusing on illegal
immigrants and trying to lessen the burden they put on social services.
Texas has an estimated 1.5 million illegal immigrants.

In April 2006, an estimated 12,000 people marched up Congress Avenue in
one of the largest civil demonstrations in the city's history to protest
proposed federal legislation that would have made it a felony to be in
the country illegally. The U.S. House proposal died, as did other
congressional efforts to overhaul immigration laws.

Cities and states are increasing efforts to pass laws addressing illegal
immigration.

Noe Lemus, an Austin cafeteria worker who was holding an American flag
at the rally Tuesday, said that all illegal immigrants in the United States
should be granted legal status.

Che Lopez, who came from San Antonio for the rally and march, said he
was urging all workers to go on strike May 1 for International Workers' Day.

Lopez said he is a co-director of Southwest Workers Union, which
campaigns for labor rights.

"Without the working class, the system will not function," Lopez said.

Labels: Immigration, May 1st, May Day, SWU