SEIU Texas members have taken another step toward becoming one strong voice for working families.

Members across Texas came together to elect 42 representatives to serve on the SEIU Texas advisory committee. Committee members represent all SEIU Texas cities and work as healthcare providers, janitors and municipal employees across our state.

Read the full list of advisory committee members here.

“I am proud and excited to represent my fellow SEIU Texas members by serving on the advisory committee. Now that we’ve united as one union, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work creating a solid framework that will help us change our state for the better. I invite my fellow members to share their thoughts with us,” said Adela Valle, a janitor in Houston and newly elected member to the SEIU Texas advisory committee.

Members can share their ideas with their advisory committee here.

The committee will meet this summer to prepare a constitution and bylaws.

Later in the year, all SEIU Texas members will be able to vote on the committee’s recommendations.

The award presented by RUMBO, a weekly Spanish publication, chose eight local Latina leaders who have dedicated their lives to serving others in one of six fields: community service, education, healthcare, business, art and culture and government.

Caballero’s leadership during the Houston Janitors strike in the summer 2012 was cited as the main reason for the distinction. The five-week citywide strike resulted in a huge victory for thousands of families living on less than $9,000 year and placed a spotlight on some of the worst wealth inequality in our nation.

“I accept this award on behalf of the thousands of janitors, the majority of whom are women, who stood up and sacrificed their livelihood to fight for justice for all Houstonians. Witnessing their passion renews my dedication to rebuilding our middle class daily,” said Caballero.

Other recipients of the award included longtime immigrant rights activist Maria Jimenez, President of the Port of Houston Commission Janiece Longoria and President of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Dr. Laura Murillo.

Houstonians are paying their property taxes right now — so are huge companies that own the biggest office buildings in town. But that’s where the similarities end.

On Wednesday, in the shadows of Houston’s biggest office towers, parents, homeowners, teachers and city employees highlighted the issue by playing, “The Price is Wrong,” a parody of the popular daytime game show.  Check out the scenes below.

During the noon time event, contestants guessed how big a discount building owners ended up with after manipulating the system — 30%?, 50%, 60%?

How much would you pick?

The answer? Three of Houston’s signature skyscrapers- Williams Tower, Wells Fargo Plaza, Bank of America Building – paid a little more than half of the tax they should have, based on the market value of the buildings based on recent property sales figures.

Read more here.

SEIU Texas lauds the arrival of a bipartisan immigration reform bill which represents a major step to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all. While not perfect, the route to citizenship outlined in the bill will strengthen our economy, keep families together, and protect workers. Locally, this historic legislation represents a beacon of hope for the more than 1.6 million aspiring citizens who live and work in Texas—the second largest immigrant population in the nation.

“We expect opponents will try to politicize the bill, but we will work hard to strengthen and protect the path to citizenship. This bipartisan bill means millions of families who have made Texas their home are steps closer to fully contributing to our state and our nation. It’s in the best interest of our country to move forward together and make sure we can raise wages for all working families and allow our undocumented friends and neighbors to drive a car, work, pay taxes, and participate in our economy without fear,” said SEIU Texas member Sergio Barron, MRI Technologist at Las Palmas Medical Center in El Paso, TX.

While the citizenship centerpiece of the bill is a positive step, SEIU members will work to improve it as the legislative process unfolds. With the bill poised to enter the debate and amendment stage, SEIU Texas members will continue their community organizing efforts to build on the growing support for a clear roadmap to citizenship that is wide and inclusive without burdensome hurdles

“We cannot allow additional arbitrary conditions to dilute a path to citizenship. We will continue to support our elected officials who understand the importance of citizenship for so many families and urge them to make the process as smooth as possible. My fellow members and I will continue to be a voice for the unrepresented. I will do everything in my power—make calls, talk to neighbors, march in the street—to make this bill stronger and passed into law,” said SEIU Texas member Rose Iraujo-Iracheta, Police Operator for the City of San Antonio.

As a huge rally in Washington, DC was lifting off, hundreds of Texans in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas marched, delivered petitions and spoke directly to elected officials in their home towns about how important this legislation is.

In Houston, SEIU joined over twenty community groups and labor organizations to demand Senator Ted Cruz, son of a Cuban immigrant, reverse his opposition and take action in the best interest of our state’s economy, security and values. More than 1,000 protestors delivered 7,600 letters in support of a clear path to citizenship to Senator Cruz’ office.

In San Antonio, SEIU members along with six community and labor organizations rallied in front of Senator Cornyn’s office, representing a grassroots consensus among Texans in favor of citizenship.

In the last few months, Texans from all walks of life, including business leaders, have expressed support for citizenship. In Dallas, SEIU and Workers United members took to the streets to register voters in solidarity with those who are waiting to come out of the shadows.

Today was a huge day in the fight for commonsense immigration reform. Thanks to everyone who took part – and sign up for more ways to build momentum around this important legislation.

We talked about how we need to build our strength in our workplaces and in our communities if we are going to take on the big challenges we face.

That’s why we are excited to announce that we have united to form one, statewide local union, SEIU Texas! As a result, we’ll be speaking with one voice–and be better positioned to improve the conditions of our work.

Uniting in SEIU Texas strengthens our union.

Together, we will:

• Build strength to raise standards for everyone
• Fight for better wages and benefits
• Fix our broken immigration laws
• Hold politicians and corporations accountable for creating good jobs

Over the next few weeks, find out what uniting in SEIU Texas means to you. Click here if you are a member (or interested in becoming one) and have questions, want to learn more or to get involved.

Be sure to visit our new website often. We’ll keep you up to date on what’s happening around the state and in your neighborhood.

en Español

Hemos hablado de que tenemos que construir fuerza en nuestros centros laborales y comunidades si vamos a asumir los grandes retos que enfrentamos.

Por eso nos entusiasma anunciar que nos hemos unido para ¡formar un sindicato local estatal, SEIU Texas! Como resultado, hablaremos con una sola voz, y estaremos mejor posicionados para mejorar nuestras condiciones de trabajo.

El afiliarnos a SEIU Texas fortalece nuestro sindicato. Juntos, podremos:

• Construir una fuerza que eleve el nivel de todos.
• Luchar por mejores salarios y beneficios.
• Reparar nuestras leyes migratorias injustas.
• Responsabilizar a los políticos y a las corporaciones para que creen buenos empleos.

En las próximas semanas, averigüe qué significa para usted afiliarse a SEIU Texas. Haga clic aquí si usted ya es afiliado (o le interesa serlo) y tiene preguntas, quiere saber más o quiere involucrarse.

No olvide visitar nuestra nueva página web a menudo. Le mantendremos informado de lo que está sucediendo en todo el estado y en su vecindario.

¿Se unirá usted a ellos? Haga clic aquí para registrarse ahora y participar en nuestro trabajo sobre reforma migratoria con sentido común en el 2013.

Dados los 11 millones de nuevos inmigrantes estadounidenses en el país, es hora que creemos un proceso de inmigración con sentido común que incluya un camino claro y directo a la ciudadanía para la gente que vino aquí a trabajar duro a crear una vida mejor para sus familias y que aspira a la ciudadanía.

El 20 de abril, sindicatos locales de SEIU y aliados celebraremos una manifestación masiva en Washington, DC y más de 50 otros eventos por todo el país repicando los tambores por una reforma migratoria con sentido común.

Juntos, podremos ayudar a reformar las leyes migratorias injustas de nuestra nación. Únase a la campaña registrándose ahora.

P.D. Están realizándose eventos por todo el estado de Texas, haga clic aquí para averiguar si hay algún evento cerca de usted.

en Español

Tens of thousands of SEIU members are calling on Congress to pass commonsense immigration reform now.

Will you join them? Click here to sign-up now and get involved in our work on commonsense immigration reform, and to take action in 2013.

With more than 11 million new American immigrants in this country, it’s time that we create a commonsense immigration process that includes a clear and direct roadmap to citizenship for people who came here to work hard to create a better life for their families and aspire to be citizens.

On April 10th, SEIU local unions and allies will hold a massive rally in Washington, DC and more than 50 other events across the country pounding the drumbeat for commonsense immigration reform.

Together, we can help reform our nation’s broken immigration laws. Join the campaign by signing-up now.

P.S. There are events happening across the state of Texas – click here to find out if there is one happening near you.

Unlike many of our coworkers, our pay is based on a pay for performance system called the EPDP, which stands for the Employee Performance Development Plan. Many believe this system is unfair to workers and taxpayers alike so we are determined to remove the cloud from the pay for performance system and find a fair and transparent way to evaluate and compensate professional employees.

With the help of SEIU members like you, we got our foot in the door to make a change.

Already a group of professional employees are talking with representatives from the city to start a dialogue about the EPDP.

Now the question is: Will you join me and SEIU to find a way to create a San Antonio that works for everyone? It will take all of us doing our part, so contact me or call Jerry Gonzales at 210-355-3636 to get involved.