More Central Texas Unions are joining against a strong mayor proposal in Austin.
More than a full score of local unions are saying they don’t want to see the City adopt the Strong Mayor system proposed by the relatively new group called, Austinites for Progressive Reform (APR).
APR is pushing a slew of propositions including an effort to switch Austin’s government from the current 10-1 Council System into a Strong Mayor system. But Jason Lopez with the Austin Central Labor Council says they cannot get behind this supposed progressive change, pointing out it would start with consolidating a chunk of city government power into the mayors office. “We oppose these charter amendments because they aren’t genuine democratic reform; each is part of a strategy designed by a small group of people to concentrate power into fewer hands at a time when wealthy elites are flocking to our city.”
Among the other proposals put up by APR are switching when Austinites vote for mayor, to be during the Presidential election.
Granting folks Democracy Dollars, which would allot residents funding vouchers to be given to the candidate of their choice.
Adopting a ranked choice voting system when the State of Texas legally allows it, as to do away with runoff elections.
APR contends the adoption of each of these propositions would make it a more democratic city. The Labor unions say these other parts of the proposition is merely masking an attempt to consolidate power in the city into one position and give it the veto power. They say this would also weaken Councilmembers political strength, and represent a major step back since the City only adopted the 10-1 council system about 10 years ago.
Official statements from Union Leaders:
Krissy O’Brien, AFSCME Local 1624 Organizer: “Under 10-1, we have raised the
living wage for full time and temporary employees, maximized the Family First
Coronavirus Response Act so employees feel safer on the job, created a civil rights
office and worked to establish a fair and impartial investigative process for employees
experiencing discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace. We
made these significant gains for working people because of the current balance of
power on city council and our ability to hold each one of them accountable. A
consolidation of power within the Office of Mayor stands to weaken our progress and
hinder our representative democracy.”
“Austinites for Progressive Reform tell us that their reforms will be better for workers,
black and brown people, and those concerned with criminal justice. Yet labor
organizations, representatives for the Eastern Crescent of Austin, and criminal justice
advocates strongly oppose Strong Mayor. I know I will be on the side of those doing the
work.” says Selena Xie, President of Austin EMS Association.
“It took decades for the people of Austin to pass a representational city government that
empowers people of color, lifts up voters in every corner of our city, and put an end to a
system built on racism with the passage of 10-1. Community leaders worked hard to
develop a truly democratic local government, but sadly a handful of wealthy elites are
working hard and spending big money during a pandemic to reverse this progress and
concentrate power in the hands of a strong mayor. We must not let Austin move
backwards in service to the rich and powerful, so Labor Unions and other progressive
organizations are standing strong against this veiled attempt to consolidate power and
silence communities of color and essential workers,” said Jeremy Hendricks, a leader
with the Laborers’ Union of North America (LiUNA).
“Our union has been on the front lines of expanding democratic rights alongside
low-income communities of color for decades, most recently in our work during the
historic U.S. Senate races in Georgia,” said UNITE HERE Local 23 Secretary
Treasurer Willy Gonzalez. “These misleading proposals are designed to give cover to
a controversial organization and its real purpose: taking power away from voters and
our elected council, and putting it in the hands of fewer people. We cannot go back to
the days where a handful of people in Austin call the shots.”
