(While the Travis County District Attorney's race has become hot, this race is equally important for Travis Democrats as it could have statewide implications (given the Voter Registration component of the office). - promoted by Mark Duncan)
I'm cross-posting this from my website. With the Central Labor Council preparing to make endorsements in the Democratic Primary, I’ve taken a moment to reflect on my long history of work with and in support of the organized labor movement. I grew up in a union family. While working for the State, I was a member of TSEU/CWA and AFSCME. I am now a member of the AFSCME Retiree Group and TSEU.  The first bill I worked as an aide to State Senator Kent Caperton was the due process employment bill for teachers. I’m proud of our work passing that bill to give job security and continuing contracts to public education employees
I was taught about the legislative process by Sen. Oscar Mauzy, one of the strongest labor movement leaders. While working for Mauzy, my proudest moment was working to bring worker’s compensation to farm workers. During 12 years in the Texas House, I can point to a 100% labor record, 100% on consumer and environmental protection, and 100% on civil and worker’s rights. You’ll not find a better friend of labor. I want to bring my committment to the cause of organized labor to the second largest office in county government.  For the past 16 years, the incumbent has operated an at-will employment office. It’s unconscionable in 2007 for an elected official in Travis County to have an at-will employment policy.
That will change immediately when I take office. On my first day in office, I’ll impose a just-cause employment policy for employees of the Tax Office. I pledge to do a case-by-case review of employees’ compensation in relation to their pay grades, and inequities caused by market study adjustments shall be remedied. I’ll be an advocate for my employees in the budget process. In addition, I opposed privatization of state services as a legislator, and I oppose the privatization of our delinquent tax collection efforts at the Tax Office. Decisions of filing lawsuits and taking people’s property are serious decisions, and I’ll work to see that this is done fairly and only after all other remedies have been tried to help struggling families. County employees deserve no less, and they’ll have my support from day one, not just when election time rolls around.
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