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President Vic Pauly informs all Texas retirees that they will be represented during this years' session of the Texas Legislature. He has joined TARA with the Victoria Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO) to share a seat with the United Labor Legislative Committee (ULLCO). All Texas unions, even those not affiliated with the Texas AFL-CIO, coordinate their monitoring and lobbying efforts daily through the Texas AFL-CIO office, just three blocks from the state capitol.
Pauly says, "We may send any member (with a day's notice) to the daily meeting at the AFL/CIO building. We can propose support of any legislation we wish (with the backing of the Committee).
One issue that Pauly is watching closely is health care. He met with activists from the National Nurses Organizing Committee to discuss the legislation they are pursuing, a Texas Hospital Patient Protection Act. Pauly says that Texas retirees would be effective in developing a statewide coalition to fight for health care rights.
The biggest problem in the 2007 Legislature, Pauly says, is likely to be finances. The previous legislature passed more tax cuts than the budget can actually stand; consequently, they will be hard put to stay within Texas law on budgets.
On other issues, Pauly writes, "Another issue which should be of concern, Workers Compensation, affects all of us. An overhaul of the system, which is badly needed, would help even our retirees. Also, the robbery of our Teacher Retirement System must stop."
Pauly continues to travel around the state to talk about organizing retirees.
He has been in Tyler, Austin, Houston and Corpus Christi of late. He expects
to be in Houston around February 22.
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