SAN ANTONIO — SAN ANTONIO — Federal employees gathered in front of San Antonio's main post office on Tuesday to demand fair contracts for union members including the Department of Veterans Affairs joined local letter carriers in solidarity advocating for a fair contract after more than two years without one president of the National Association of Letter Carriers stood alongside Congressman Joaquin Castro to address the ongoing contract issues "We had a proposition made by the USPS along with my union brothers and sisters," Hernandez said Castro emphasized the dedication of postal workers "They're out there when it's raining like it is today and their wages just haven't kept up with inflation and so they're asking the Postal Service to do the right thing criticized recent funding cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) "They've had to lay off employees all because somebody pushed a little button on a keyboard and it took away their funding," Murillo said vice chair of the Bexar County Republican Party expressed support for DOGE's initiatives "Anybody that wants to get in and systematically clean the government up find out where our tax dollars are being spent why you would not go look at that," Sinclair said Sinclair also highlighted the Postal Service's financial challenges "In 2024 the US Post Office had 525,000 career people and abuse of federal tax dollars across various sectors Four different unions were represented in the protest and postal workers expect to learn within a week if they will receive a new contract Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsGarrett Brnger Eddie Latigo SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association is warning its members to “keep their heads on a swivel and watch your six” over concerns of a Venezuelan gang operating in the “north-central” area of the city “Despite the City’s claims of ‘no credible threat to public safety’ we have numerous safety concerns surrounding operations ongoing within the southern portion of 5-0 (Battalion 5),” SAPFFA President Joe Jones wrote in a Wednesday email obtained by KSAT to the union’s nearly 1,800 firefighter and paramedic members Jones told KSAT that firefighters’ and paramedics’ button-up uniforms can appear similar to San Antonio police and it would be easy for someone to “misinterpret the presence” of the unarmed first-responders and use violence on them He also confirmed the gang in question was Tren de Aragua, a gang that started in Venezuela’s prisons and which has gained increased state and national attention Jones said he did not want to jeopardize any ongoing police activities but he generally described the concern being about specific apartments “just a few blocks north” of the city’s Migrant Resource Center on San Pedro Avenue in an area where Fire Stations 17 and 31 typically respond Jones said the union had confirmed the activity by talking with members at the fire stations “in the epicenter of this” and from “I’ll say ‘other jurisdictions.’” The union president said firefighters were already unofficially giving each other a heads up about the gang activity but “it was not being broadcast within the department or issue an official safety warning or a warning order of any kind.” There are dispatch notes attached to the specific locations requiring that two-person squad or EMS crews be accompanied by a heavy truck in an apparent attempt at safety in numbers Jones said the union’s certainty that it was related to Tren de Aragua “goes back to boots on the ground.” KSAT reached out Thursday to spokespeople for the city requesting an interview on the extent of Tren de Aragua’s activity in the city and how it was being handled SAPD responded with a statement that did not mention the gang by name or any specific actions they were taking “Suspected and known gang activity in the San Antonio area is being addressed by SAPD Coordination with the SAFD is part of our daily operations SAPD is and will continue to take necessary action to ensure the public’s safety as well as the safety of our first responders and federal agencies to identify threats and develop strategic operations which are aimed at reducing gang influence and protecting residents of our city Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved Email Newsletters KSAT RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us KSAT Internships Careers at KSAT Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association (SAPFA) will oppose San Antonio Proposition C on the November ballot a measure that would overturn changes to the city manager position the fire union pushed for in 2018 — salary and term caps SAPFA President Joe Jones said in a statement that his union would stand by its previous efforts despite the thawing relationship between the union and city “Our advocacy is rooted in the principles of progressive leadership and is not personal against any current City leadership,” Jones said in the statement “We maintain tremendous respect for our City Manager and appreciate their dedication to our community Prop C would remove the city manager’s eight-year tenure limit and salary cap of 10 times the lowest paid salaried city employee San Antonio City Council members and those on the city’s Charter Review Commission that drafted the proposition’s language who support Prop C have said the ultimate authority over the city manager position should be the elected city council They have said the imposition of a term limit and salary cap will make it difficult for elected leaders to hire and retain quality talent The city manager position in San Antonio oversees city staff and is responsible for executing policies set by the council He was a deputy city manager before the council tapped him to replace Sculley Jones said union leadership unanimously voted to oppose Prop C and that rejecting it was the right course of action for San Antonio “It is crucial to remember that the issue was overwhelmingly supported by the San Antonio community back in 2018,” he said “The SAPFFA is steadfastly defending the will of the voters honoring the democratic process and preserving the principles that were established we are protecting the integrity of the decisions made by our community and upholding the principles that reflect our core values.” SAPFA fought hard for the limits in a 2018 citizen-directed charter amendment vote during a bitter collective bargaining agreement fight with Sheryl Sculley Sculley resigned from her post just a month after voters supported the amendment by a wide margin SAPFA members voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the city last month for the first time in 15 years. The new agreement comes with 20% raises over three years a compromise between both sides’ initial offerings The city council adopted the contract at the end of September as part of the city’s annual budget Prop C is one of six charter amendments San Antonio voters will have the ability to vote on in the November election Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsKSAT DIGITAL TEAM SAN ANTONIO – The Northside American Federation of Teachers and the San Antonio Alliance have voiced strong opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the U.S The order aims to shift educational control from the federal level to states a move the unions argue could undermine protections for students including those with disabilities and those dependent on federal financial aid Gov. Greg Abbott supported the order advocating for state control over educational funding the unions criticized his track record of underfunding public schools and promoting voucher programs that divert public funds to private institutions “Governor Abbott’s policies have consistently failed Texas students,” the statement read “His support for this executive order is another step in dismantling the public education system that serves our communities.” The unions are particularly concerned about the implications for students with disabilities who benefit from federal laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act These laws ensure equal access to education through necessary accommodations and support services Northside AFT and the San Antonio Alliance are mobilizing efforts to elect school board candidates committed to protecting public education in response to these challenges but we are not backing down from the fight,” the statement stated and vote in every election—because school board races matter now more than ever.” Copyright 2025 by KSAT - All rights reserved The City of San Antonio reached a tentative agreement on a $109.6 million labor contract with the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association ON Friday night after more than 12 hours of negotiations which still needs to be ratified by union members and then approved by the San Antonio City Council includes raises of 20% over three years for firefighters That raise will be doled out as a 7% raise in 2025 $2,400 in incentive and uniform pay will be transferred over to base pay in the first year of the contract before the percent raise is implemented the lowest paid firefighters — Step A on the pay scale — will make $72,774 those firefighters will make $64,174 starting on Oct Step A firefighters make $57,576 under the current contract Friday’s tentative agreement came after six months of negotiations and it was the first time the fire union and city came to a tentative agreement since 2009 A bitter contract fight after that 2009 agreement expired ended in an arbitrator-imposed contract that left firefighter wages stagnant remarked on the terms of the tentative agreement after it was reached on Friday night That’s part of collaboration — that’s part of compromise.” But he said the union and city had ultimately succeeded in the negotiations “People said it couldn’t be done,” Jones said “A lot of people on our side said it couldn’t be done They said that due to historical distrust and differences that we wouldn’t be able to work together and collaborate in an effective way and once again we have proven them wrong.” The fire union entered the negotiations with a request for nearly 34% in raises over three years while the city offered 20% over five years in its opening offer The tentative agreement also included concessions from the city on promotions and sick leave policies issues the fire union held out on even as negotiations on Friday went past midnight Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said the city achieved what it set out for “We think this is a good contract for our firefighters and our paramedics [It] keeps us competitive with other cities in Texas Members of the city council pressured city staff in recent months to give firefighters the raises they deserved The city budget proposed to council earlier this month for the 2025 fiscal year included the 7% raise the city stuck to for the first year of the fire union contract meaning no additional cuts will need to be made to accommodate the tentative agreement Texas (KTEP) - The El Paso City Council approved a nearly $4.8 million purchase of two Union Plaza buildings The council unanimously voted to purchase the properties at 320 W the former Lynx Exhibits and a warehouse building said he first offered the properties several years ago when the city of El Paso was planning for the locations of the Children's Museum and Mexican American Cultural Center "We don't know exactly what they want it for but the impression I get from talking to people is that they want to expand the convention center," Churchman said "That is something we desperately needed for a long time It makes a whole lot of sense if they really want to go that way." the proposed sale would be part of a larger plan to expand the nearby Convention Center The center is just across the street from the two Union Plaza buildings "The city of El Paso desires to acquire the land commonly known as 320 W San Antonio as part of the Downtown revitalization initiative and Convention Center Master plan," a city document states Plans for the proposal trace back to closed-door discussions between the Mayor and City Council on August 12 San Antonio would sell for nearly $2.5 million The building is listed as having 16,785 square-feet of space That property is listed as having 19,080 square feet the cost for both buildings would be about $4.8 million Funds from the city's Hotel Occupancy Tax Capital Fund would pay for the purchases Mayor Renard Johnson said the purchase is the first step in preparing El Paso to host larger and more "impactful" events “As other cities like Dallas and Austin invest in their convention infrastructure El Paso must also rise to meet the expectations of 21st-century event planners One in 11 jobs in Texas is now tied to tourism and this initiative will help ensure that El Paso’s visitor-driven economic impact continues to grow alongside our peer communities," Johnson said SAN ANTONIO — Dozens of hospitality workers gathered outside City Hall Friday demanding a livable wage as the city prepares to host the 2025 NCAA Men's Final Four in early April The event is expected to generate significant revenue but workers feel they are not receiving their fair share Secretary Treasurer of the labor union Unite Here Local 23 emphasized the importance of the hospitality sector to San Antonio's economy "We have hospitality workers behind us and we're here today in City Hall because everybody knows how important the hospitality is to the economy of San Antonio," he said Gonzalez cited a 2023 study showing that San Antonio benefited over $25 billion from the hospitality industry make the drinks for the guests can't afford to live a decent life," he said The union plans to survey visitors during the Final Four to gauge their views on a living wage for hospitality workers "The first step is in the Final Four on April 5 we're going to be surveying the guests that are coming to the city to ask them how they feel about a living wage for those workers that welcome them to this city," Gonzalez said "City Hall needs to step up because the elected officials here benefit from those billions of dollars the hospitality brings to the city." expressed her frustration with stagnant wages We need to be provided to put food in our home Saucedo noted that her pay has only increased by five dollars in the 15 years she has worked there because sometimes I have to stretch my money It's either I'm gonna pay for food "We need the $25 raise and we're gonna fight for that $25 raise no matter what it takes." The mayor's office was contacted for comment but was unavailable Security Service Federal Credit Union is located at 3907 N (Courtesy Security Service Federal Credit Union) Thalia is a features reporter for North San Antonio Northeast San Antonio Metrocom and New Braunfels editions of Community Impact She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University-San Antonio hanging out with her dog Maxwell and spending time with her family the San Antonio City Council has approved a new collective bargaining agreement between the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association The agreement is set to take effect from Oct This agreement not only secures substantial wage increases for firefighters but also addresses the ongoing needs and priorities of the city's residents “The approval of this contract marks the beginning of a new chapter for labor relations within the City organization," saidMayor Ron Nirenberg "I congratulate the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association and the City of San Antonio on turning a page for the betterment of our firefighters and their families.” The agreement was unanimously approved by the City Council and endorsed by 97% of voting union members marks the first opportunity for fire union members to vote on a contract since 2009 firefighters will see a significant wage increase totaling 20% over the three-year period The pay hike includes a 7% increase for fiscal year 2025 The total financial commitment for this contract amounts to $109.6 million over the three years “I am appreciative that Council passed a collective bargaining agreement that keeps our firefighters among the best paid in the state in terms of total compensation," saidCity Manager Erik Walsh "This contract also balances our ability to continue to deliver key services while investing in the community’s priorities I’d like to thank the Fire Union for their willingness to work with us to secure a contract negotiated in a timely manner.” District 6 Councilmember Melissa Cabello Havrda Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee released a statement say she was "thrilled to celebrate the approval of a new labor contract between San Antonio’s firefighters and paramedics and the City." “This contract stands as a powerful testament to the dedication and perseverance of both our firefighters and the City of San Antonio,” the District 6 Councilmember said “It not only guarantees fair and deserved compensation for our first responders but it also fortifies the critical partnership between the City and those who bravely protect our community I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and am eager to continue building on this progress to support all of San Antonio’s essential services Thank you to both the fire union and City officials for their dedication and collaborative efforts in achieving this landmark agreement.” the agreement brings several important enhancements to the firefighters' working conditions ensuring greater accountability within the promotion framework the contract addresses the City’s sick leave policy and offers an upgraded parental leave benefit reflecting a commitment to the well-being of firefighters and their families The agreement came after 13 negotiation meetings marking the first successful contract agreement between the City and the Fire Union since 2009 This achievement underscores a renewed commitment to constructive dialogue and collaboration between city officials and firefighters The newly approved collective bargaining agreement stands as a testament to the City of San Antonio’s dedication to its first responders As firefighters gear up for the future with enhanced wages and improved benefits the City simultaneously reassures residents of its commitment to maintaining essential services and prioritizing community needs This partnership not only recognizes the hard work and sacrifices of firefighters but also lays a solid foundation for future labor relations within the city Left: San Antonio union members canvass on behalf of Texas AFT COPE-endorsed HD 118 candidate Kristian Carranza. Right: Dallas area union members canvass for Texas AFT COPE-endorsed HD 112 candidate Averie Bishop. Find all endorsements at vote.texasaft.org.   a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers rejected private school voucher scams that threatened to divert millions of taxpayer dollars from public schools to fund unaccountable private education out-of-state mega-donors and education privatizers have invested heavily in Texas elections in a painfully transparent attempt to buy a voucher program when the Legislature reconvenes in 2025.   After months of talking to neighbors and mobilizing folks for our democracy educators are coming out in full force to elect pro-public education candidates who will fight for our students many of our local unions and members in districts across the state will rally for thriving public schools and head to polling locations together to cast their ballots for public school allies Find an event near you to plug into & join your peers at the polls!  RSVP  RSVP  Crouch Event Center at Bicentennial Park  RSVP  RSVP  RSVP  RSVP  RSVP  News & Reviews News Wire UP train derails near San Antonio Fifteen cars involved in incident in Kirby Texas — Approximately 15 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed today (Feb No injuries or hazardous materials spills were reported The derailment occurred about 1 p.m., a Union Pacific representative told KSAT-TV. The city said in a Facebook post that Gibbs Sprawl Road on the city’s northeast side will be closed to 24 to 48 hours as a result It is the eastern endpoint of Union Pacific’s Del Rio Subdivision and the western end of the Glidden Subdivision Not been a good couple of weeks for UP with derailments in several states Latest update from KSAT cars involved were autoracks with new Toyota trucks from the plant here in San Antonio In addition UP is dealing with a derailment of 35 empty covered hopper cars in Lytle Tx about 17 Miles southwest of the South San Antonio yard on the Del Rio Subdivision Both of these on UP’s main east/west route from El Paso and Houston Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands Show Breaking News BarCloseBusinessRebecca Salinas Daniela Ibarra Eddie Latigo SAN ANTONIO – A multi-day strike by Starbucks employees has closed dozens of stores nationwide and reached San Antonio. Baristas at the downtown San Antonio location went on strike Tuesday morning, therefore closing the store. Signs posted on the doors state “No Contract, No Coffee” and “Here’s to Joy & A Living Wage.” The strike — which began Friday in Los Angeles, Chicago and Starbucks' hometown of Seattle — spread Monday to stores in Boston, Dallas and Portland, Ore. Workers in New York, Denver, Pittsburgh and other cities had also joined the strike over the weekend. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Starbucks Workers United (@sbworkersunited) Workers are protesting a lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company. Starbucks Workers United, which began the unionization effort in 2021, said Starbucks has failed to honor a commitment made in February to reach a labor agreement this year The union also wants the company to resolve outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice charges that workers have filed with the National Labor Relations Board Starbucks stores have voted to join the union Five stores in San Antonio and one store in New Braunfels are part of the union The strike comes at one of the busiest times of the year for Starbucks But the company said Monday it has had “no significant impact” to its store operations Starbucks has around 10,000 company-operated stores in the U.S “We respect our partners’ right to engage in lawful strike activity and we appreciate the thousands of partners across the country who are continuing to support each other and deliver the Starbucks experience for our customers,” the company said Monday in a statement The two sides have been bargaining since the spring but appear to have reached an impasse over economic issues Starbucks said it has committed to an annual pay increase of 1.5% or more for unionized workers If the company gave a lower increase to non-union workers in any given year it still would give union workers a 1.5% increase free college tuition and paid family leave — Starbucks’ pay package is worth an average of $30 per hour for baristas who work at least 20 hours per week Workers say they deserve more, and note that Starbucks’ new Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who started in September, could make more than $100 million in his first year on the job rewritten or redistributed without permission Rebecca Salinas is the Digital Executive Producer at KSAT 12 News Rebecca is an award-winning journalist who joined KSAT in 2019 Daniela Ibarra joined the KSAT News team in July 2023 This isn’t her first time in the KSAT newsroom– the San Antonio native spent the summer of 2017 as an intern earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Texas Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Starbucks Workers United (@sbworkersunited) The ongoing Starbucks union workers' strike has now expanded to a dozen states, union representatives confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday The five-day strike began Friday and initially shut down Starbucks locations in Los Angeles Chicago and Seattle before spreading to cafes in New Jersey Labor representatives told USA TODAY on Monday morning that union members in Boston Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said the "few disruptions" have not had a significant effect on the business' operations because only a small handful of locations have been impacted "We respect our partners' right to engage in lawful strike activity and we appreciate the thousands of partners across the country who are continuing to support each other and deliver the Starbucks experience for our customers," Gee released in a statement obtained by USA TODAY Monday Union representatives said 98% of union partners recently voted to protest low wages The business operates more than 11,000 stores across the nation, according to Reuters Late last week, Starbucks Workers United cautioned the strike could reach "hundreds of stores" by Christmas Eve its representatives said they are ready to return to the bargaining table to discuss their complaints "The holiday season should be magical at Starbucks there's a darker side to the peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes," said Arloa Fluhr a bargaining delegate from Illinois who has worked off and on at Starbucks for 18 years Monday marked the third of the five-day strike planned by Starbucks Workers United expressed her frustration in a statement released by the union but Starbucks has broken its promise to thousands of baristas and left us with no choice," Alhadjaboodi said "In a year when Starbucks invested so many millions in top executive talent it has failed to present the baristas who make its company run with a viable economic proposal and resolve the pending unfair labor practices We will do whatever it takes to get the company to honor the commitment it made to us in February." The union reported nearly 50 stores across the country had shut down Sunday with more planned as the Christmas holiday draws closer This is among the busiest times of the year for the Seattle-based coffee chain A total of 23 Texas Starbucks locations have unionized, according to Starbucks Workers United — This story was updated to correct a misspelling The Texas Farm Workers Union journeyed 1,600 miles in search of an audience with President Jimmy Carter wore while holding the banner of the Texas Farm Workers Union on a march that began in San Juan This is part 2 in a series looking at the history of the Texas Farm Workers Union. Check out the rest of the series here. Sitting at the dining room table of the Pharr I’m reminded of visits to my own tía’s.  the prominent artwork of the Virgen de Guadalupe locked away in a room – undoubtedly because of this visiting stranger – I hear a cat meowing every once in a while followed by the squawk of a bird likely annoyed with its sudden new roommate.  But what’s different from those visits I’m familiar with is what greeted me when I first stepped through the door “You can take a picture of anything you want,” Norma said then Arranged on tables and draped over couches all around the living room are artifacts of the United Farm Workers but mainly of the Texas Farm Workers Union banners and stacks of newspapers and clippings detail the exploits of the TFWU – weathered by age and from the campaigns they were carried or worn in Some of the buttons in Norma Ramirez's collection Those in the foreground are from the Texas Farm Workers Union while those in the back are from the days they were under the United Farm Workers After sitting for some time at the table for our interview Norma beckons me to see more of her museum I follow her into a hall in which numerous photos adorn the walls some in sepia-tinged shades of color that show their age They all depict people holding signs or carrying flags and banners while on a march or walking a picket line this is my little hall of fame,” she replies In several of the photos is an older mustached man wearing dark, square-framed glasses and a straw hat. In all of the photos he holds a large banner with the iconic Virgen de San Juan a rosary draped over it – his stern countenance and pose mirrored across the photos suggesting a man dutifully dedicated to his task who was something of a standard-bearer for the Texas Farm Workers Union Don Claudio Ramirez is seen in a photograph on the wall of his daughter's home Ramirez was something of the standard-bearer for the Texas Farm Workers Union and is often seen carrying the union's Virgen de San Juan banner in photographs Norma shares with me her family’s story as migrant workers of her father’s initial life in the U.S as an undocumented worker before becoming a citizen Always ready to stand up for himself when he felt he was being treated with prejudice Don Claudio was soon invigorated by the voice he heard on Antonio Orendain’s radio program Thus began a lifelong friendship, one that saw Don Claudio join the Texas UFW and later follow Orendain when the TFWU split off Among the most prominent of Norma’s collection is a framed poster-sized image showing her father with his banner marching alongside Orendain and two others This was the end point of one of the monumental moments in the union’s history – one that began in 1977 with a march from the Rio Grande Valley to the state Capitol in Austin A little over a year into the existence of the new union following its split from the UFW but the new union had not let up on organizing demonstrations or preparing for and participating in strikes But as a new legislative session loomed in January of 1977 Orendain and the TFWU began mulling what could be accomplished for the farmworker on the floors of the state House and Senate as the Austin politician agreed to sponsor a farm labor bill Among the provisions in the ultimately 35-page bill was the establishment of an Agricultural Labor Relations Board modeled after the one won by the UFW in California The TFWU had lobbied extensively for the bill garnering 500,000 petition signatures and drawing in support across organizations ranging from the Catholic Church to the League of United Latin American Citizens What was seen as crucial support from the UFW Orendain turned to an age-old tactic: a march.  TFWU marchers departed from the Our Lady of San Juan Shrine for Austin – a journey of some 440 miles Aurora Gomez remembers when the marchers passed through Robstown a small community right outside of Corpus Christi “They actually stayed,” Gomez said Gomez was often brought into the fold to help the organizing efforts of her father there was no shortage of organizing.  Aurora Gomez points out where the migrant worker labor camp in Robstown used to be Aurora and her family were migrant farmworkers who saw the actions of organizers like César Chávez and Antonio Orendain as opening up opportunities for them to speak up So when the Texas Farm Workers Union came through Robstown The rural town, which had long boasted a migrant worker community was a hotbed for political activism in that era of the rising Chicano Movement Gomez said her family had long been farmworkers working the fields from Robstown to as far as Idaho and picking crops including cotton She described working sunup to sundown in unsanitary conditions for as little as $1.25 an hour – work she says eventually led to her and many others struggling with physical disabilities today.  Gomez and her father joined the march the rest of the way to Austin The marchers met with hundreds of supporters upon entering the capital city Dolph Briscoe did not prove as fruitful as the TFWU had hoped After hosting a small delegation of the marchers for a lunch at which the bill was discussed Briscoe told reporters that he had no intention of supporting the bill at that time.  offering testimony during hearings to voice their support But as June rolled around and the bill appeared essentially dead an idea that had started as a joke among the marchers started to be talked about as a real possibility “They all started kind of joking around ‘if the governor doesn’t listen to us Let’s just keep the march going,’” said Joseph Orendian who had joined the marchers up to Austin.  “It was kind of bantered around as a joke And then I guess a few months after it kind of started to set in – ‘why not?’” this time to take their petition to the steps of the White House to try to get an audience with President Jimmy Carter But not everyone was on board with the plan then the union’s organizing director said he had made arguments for three hours against the march – citing the difficulty and the lack of clear support along the route “And our members voted that since Carter had come to the Valley – which he did…,” de Avila said “He said the White House was going to be open and be receptive and hear from the voices of all And they took him for his fucking word.” about 45 marchers with the Texas Farm Workers Union set out to the nation’s capital from Austin on a 1,600-mile route that took them through the states of the Deep South – a decision “They wanted to go through all of these states that had these similar conservative right-to-work laws because [Orendain] felt like that would engender a certain kind of response amongst organized labor – civil rights groups – that was important for his goal with the union,” Bowman said The TFWU saw right-to-work laws enacted across the South as a hurdle to unionization and made the specific repeal of Section 14B of the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act a cornerstone of the demands they were bringing to the steps of the White House As the marchers hit the road with the goal of covering 20 miles a day Don Claudio took his familiar spot at the front Running ahead of the march and passing out copies of the union’s paper – El Cuhamil which shared the name of the union’s former headquarters – was Julio Coreño.  The Mexico-born Coreño was known for being openly gay in a time and setting when it was still rare But perhaps what he was most regarded for was the speed at which he moved ahead of the march wearing just his huaraches It was a trait that inspired artist Luis Guerra who joined the farmworkers on a stretch of the march “That guy… When we went through Lake Charles he was running back and forth and on both sides of the street,” Guerra said “And so he was walking three or four times what everybody else was because he was running back and forth all over the place.” Coreño became one of the farmworkers Guerra included in the piece he had set out on the march to draw inspiration for – a silkscreen he titled “Hasta la Gloria.” Norma Ramirez has a print of Luis Guerra's piece "Hasta La Gloria," featuring some of the farmworkers he saw as the core during his time marching with the union up to Lake Charles The piece depicted several of the marchers Guerra saw as the core: Antonio Orendain and Doña Maria Salas – whom Guerra says was an enchanting presence on the march “She was like a curandera,” Guerra said “She would always have some little potion or some collection of things that she would use depending on what vibe she was picking up along the way.”  While “Hasta la Gloria” only shows a handful of people Guerra says there were many others who inspired him during his time on the march there’s somebody coming in from the back and just entering the poster and there’s people sort of stepping out of it in the front,” Guerra said “That was my way of saying there’s a lot more people.”  Scroll through the carousel and click on the player below each photo to listen to memories shared by three participants of the march to Washington As the marchers wound their way through the South they encountered numerous supporters on their stops.  Some went ahead of the march and were able to secure lodging or food from friendly individuals Guerra said one such instance came when the marchers took a day off to swim at a beach near Lake Charles – one they hadn’t realized was still segregated for Black residents to which Guerra shared the story of the march great,’ and they left,” Guerra recalled with food cooking on it and ice chests with beer for everybody And I thought ‘wow,’ that was really drew representatives from social justice organizations in many parts of the South One representative from Alabama said they had organized a celebration of Juneteenth in his community in Mobile when hearing the news of the Texas farmworkers – the first time that the Texas-born holiday had been celebrated in his state A stop in Atlanta saw a rally that drew several civil rights leaders Ralph Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference A poster-sized image Norma Ramirez has of a photograph taken at the end of the TFWU's 1977 march on Washington Aurora Gomez’s family hadn’t followed the march the entire way but they did catch up with them as they entered the nation’s capital I went to Woodstock’ and ‘I got over there and I met the Beatles.’ Well something that I’ll never forget.” The ultimate aim of the union’s ambitious undertaking was to gain an audience with Carter – yet that was a far from guaranteed prospect A meeting with Labor Secretary Ray Marshall didn’t assuage Orendain and the union opted to begin a water-only fast and maintain a 24-hour-a-day vigil outside the White House the marchers were offered a meeting with Vice President Walter Mondale Alfredo de Avila said the vice president assured the marchers that the administration would be more poised to address the union’s goals in a second Carter term “That’s when Mondale said ‘we’re willing to work on this thing We’re going to turn around and go with this issue the next time around,’” de Avila said History, however, did not unfold in a favorable way for the marchers – the Iran hostage crisis and Carter’s failed reelection bid ensured that but the reasoning why has long been subject to speculation – including that UFW leader César Chávez It’s a theory that historian Timothy Bowman stresses does not have solid evidence to back it up but contextually does fit when considering that UFW and AFL-CIO support was a crucial part of Carter’s base of support.  “A Democratic president in the late 1970s can’t afford to alienate a César Chávez Like a figure who has that much pull,” Bowman said Whatever the reasons for Carter’s decision the Texas farmworkers returned home dispirited But while they did not succeed in gaining an audience with the president their march raised the profile of the plight of farmworkers in the Lone Star State Norma Ramirez has numerous photographs and memorabilia of the Texas Farm Workers Union on display throughout her home defining moment in the short-lived life of the Texas Farm Workers Union finding records like photos or especially newsreels about it can be difficult to come by despite the written narratives that talk about reporters often being in attendance Artifacts of the union’s existence are largely locked away in the archives of universities though there’s been the occasional public exhibit But outside the memories and the oral retelling of the union’s participants perhaps the greatest archive of its existence is found in the homes of people like Norma Ramirez – who has become something of the unofficial keeper of the TFWU’s history As we’re talking in her living room-turned-museum she holds up a weathered straw hat that I recognize from earlier photos – UFW and TFWU buttons attached all around it the one he would wear,” she tells me and I notice her eyes fall upon the buttons – this hat that sat upon her father’s head as he marched at the vanguard of history.  it’s a history she says she feels hasn’t gotten its due.  Norma Ramirez holds up a version of the Texas Farm Workers Union banner with Antonio Orendain at an event many years after the union had ceased to exist Norma has since taken on the role of unofficial union historian – giving speeches at events or funerals She tells me of efforts she’s made to have a school named after Orendain She says even there in the Rio Grande Valley where the union was based and did much of its work she often encounters people who are shocked when she tells them the story of the TFWU it’s the story itself she wants to be told like as far as history – having it in the schools… That but at least to have it already,” she said “It’s Latino history here in the Valley – here in Texas.” Norma is occasionally called upon to speak about the union. She’s given speeches at the funerals of her father, Claudio, and Antonio Orendain, who died in 2016 She tells me public speaking isn’t something she was ever used to and I ask her if it’s proven to be a heavy burden being the keeper of this history Norma explains that she often received compliments on her speeches her words are composed from memories she holds dear “What I want is this story to be told I don’t want it to die,” she tells me like I guess like I went through it and everything If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org ©2024 Texas Standard. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us Adam Barraza SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio firefighters and paramedics have approved a new contract for the first time in 15 years in a landslide election Negotiating teams from the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association and the City of San Antonio hammered out a tentative three-year deal on Aug. 24 But it needs the approval of both the union membership and the city council before it can take effect Roughly 76% of the nearly 1,800 union members voted on the contract Only 35 members cast a ballot voted against it “It tells me that firefighters really feel the economic impact of the last decade and they’re looking forward to wage increases,” SAPFFA President Joe Jones told KSAT Though the 21.3% worth of raises in the contract were below the 37.5% the union was requesting at the beginning of negotiations Jones said “I think that our firefighters and paramedics understood that it’s going to be a process The city council will vote on the contract Thursday Here are some basics of the deal and the city and union’s history The following graph shows five of the 15 base pay scales in the proposed contract The raise amounts also include the $2,400 shift in incentive and allowance pays Adam Barraza is a photojournalist at KSAT 12 and an El Paso native after earning a degree from San Antonio College and the University of the Incarnate Word He’s also a diehard Dodgers fan and an avid sneakerhead