IAM Union members from Texas participated in the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention, which focused on the theme “Workers vs. Billionaires — Which Side Are You On?” The event brought together union representatives to discuss issues affecting working families and strategies for political engagement.
A key part of the convention was support for Taylor Rehmet, an IAM District 776 member and activist running for Texas Senate District 9. Delegates made calls to union voters in the district to encourage turnout for Rehmet ahead of the January 31 election.
“This moment is about a clear choice: workers or billionaires,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett, who is also a native Texan and District 776 member. “For too long, billionaires have written the rules while working families pay the price. The labor movement is drawing a line, and in Texas that means supporting leaders like Taylor Rehmet who come from our ranks and fight for working people.”
The convention included the first debate between Democratic U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett. The debate focused on issues important to working families and addressing billionaire influence in politics. While delegates decided not to take action in the contested U.S. Senate primary, they endorsed several other candidates at federal, state, and local levels who are either union members or support pro-worker policies.
