The Arkansas federation of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has announced after research and deliberation its endorsements in races of the November 2018 general election.
As one of the state AFL-CIO’s 190-plus local unions, labor councils and subordinate bodies, AFSCME Local 965 concurs. Arkansas workers should consider these recommendations as well as conduct their own study of candidates and policies before heading to the polls. We want all to vote!
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 6, early voting begins Oct. 22 and registration for new voters ends Oct. 9. Arkansas citizens should review those details.
As Arkansas 965 covers nine northwest and north central counties plus some employees of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, all the recommended candidates and issues are listed.
U.S. House
Chintan Desai — 1st Congressional District
Clarke Tucker — 2nd Congressional District
Joshua Mahony — 3rd Congressional District
Hayden Shamel — 4th Congressional District
State Constitutional Offices
Jared Henderson — Governor
Anthony Bland — Lieutenant Governor
Mike Lee — Attorney General
Susan Inman — Secretary of State
Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendments
Issue 1 — Tort Law — AFL-CIO position — Oppose
Issue 2: Voter ID — No Position
Citizen Initiated Constitutional Amendments
State Legislative Term Limits — AFL-CIO position — Oppose
Casino Initiative Amendment — Support
Citizen Initiated State Statute
Minimum Wage Increase Initiative — AFL-CIO position — Support
State Senate
Jon Comstock — 3rd Senate District
Rep. Greg Leding — 4th District
Jim Wallace — 5th District
Sen. Bill Sample — 14th District
Melissa Fults — 33rd District
Maureen Skinner — 35th District
State House
Rep. Vivian Flowers — 17th House District
Alan Hughes — 26th District
Dustin Parsons — 28th District
Rep. Fred Allen — 30th District
Randy Haun — 31st District
Jess Mallett — 32nd District
Andrew Collins — 35th District
Chase Mangiapane — 38th District
Monica Ball — 39th District
Jonathan Crossley — 41st District
Rep. Michael John Gray — 47th Distict
Michael Roetzel — 65th District
Luke Pruitt — 77th District
Jay Richardson — 78th District
Lou Reed Sharp — 80th District
Donald McKinney — 81st District
Denise Garner — 84th District
Nicole Clowney — 86th District
Kelly Scott Unger — 87th District
Megan Godfrey — 89th District
Kati McFarlane — 90th District
Chris Birch — 92nd District
Gayatri Agnew — 93rd District
Jene Huffman Gilreath — 94th District
Celeste Williams — 95th District
Christie Craig — 96th District
Gary Morris — 97th District
The Arkansas AFL-CIO was chartered in 1956. It was the first in the nation to merge the AFL and CIO into one state central body, according to its website. The state federation represents more than 30,000 working people in diverse occupations. The national AFL-CIO’s member unions total more than 11 million working women and men.
Political campaigns, with all those ads, traditionally begin in one month, Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-3.
Now’s a good time for Arkansawyers to check if they’re registered to vote, Type your name and birth date in Voter View to see if you’re already registered. You’ll also learn in which precinct, districts etc. you live.
The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 6, 2018, general election is Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Alan Hughes (left) chews the fat May 31, 2018, with Hershey Garner at the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council annual barbecue, at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville. Hughes is president of Arkansas AFL-CIO. Garner is the husband of Denise Garner, Democratic nominee for District 84 of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Clint Morris (from left), Donald McKinney, Bruce Appel, Alan Hughes and Hershey Garner pose May 31, 2018, at the annual barbecue of the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council, held at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville. Hughes is president of Arkansas AFL-CIO. McKinney is the Democrat nominee for District 81 of the Arkansas House of Representatives. Dr. Garner is the husband of Denise Garner, Democratic nominee for state House District 84.
Nicole Clowney speaks May 31, 2018, at the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council annual barbecue, held at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville. Clowney, a Democrat, is presumptive representative (no opposition in November) for District 86 of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Walter Hinojosa and Denise Garner picnic May 31, 2018, at the annual Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council barbecue, held at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville. Hinojosa is president of the area labor council. Garner is the Democratic nominee for District 84 of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Walter Hinojosa (from left) Betty Martin and her son Aaron Martin enjoy the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council annual barbecue, at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville, May 31, 2018. Hinojosa is president of the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council. Betty Martin is a trustee and past president of Local 965 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Aaron Martin, an attorney, is a member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union.
The Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council hosted its annual Memorial Day barbecue May 31, 2018, at Martin Law Firm in Fayetteville. Members of several union locals as well as political candidates endorsed by the council picnicked and politicked.
Candidates attending included Donald McKinney, Democratic nominee for District 81 of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Denise Garner, Democratic nominee for state House District 84 and Democrat Nicole Clowney, presumptive representative (no opposition in November) for District 86.
Walter Hinojosa, president/secretary-treasurer of the area council, served as host.
Clowney, who teaches at the University of Arkansas, is a member of Local 965, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Local 965 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees launched its University of Arkansas Living Wage Campaign with a rally April 7, 2018.
News reports included:
Walter Hinojosa listens as D’Andre Jones speaks April 7, 2018, at the University of Arkansas Living Wage Rally at the Fayetteville Town Center Plaza. Hinojosa is president of the Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Jones is a member of the Northwest Arkansas MLK Council, chair of the Fayetteville Civil Rights Commission. Photo Bret Schulte
Click image for PDF of petition supporting the University of Arkansas Living Wage Campaign.
The noon rally, held in unseasonable 29-degree weather following an overnight light snow, attracted some 40 people to the Fayetteville Town Center plaza, adjacent to the city’s Farmer’s Market.
Signatures were gathered for a petition to present to Chancellor Joe Steinmetz, UA System President Don Bobbitt and the system’s Board of Trustees. An online version of the petition can be signed at change.org, which will help advance the cause greatly.
Steve Boss, UA professor of geosciences and incoming 965 secretary-treasurer, introduced the rally’s speakers:
Arley Ward, president of the University of Arkansas Graduate Student Congress
D’Andre Jones of the Northwest Arkansas MLK Council and chair of the Fayetteville Civil Rights Commission
Walter Hinojosa, president of Northwest Arkansas Joint Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Denise Garner of Feed Fayetteville, a Democratic candidate for Arkansas House District 84
Mike Lee, Democratic candidate for Arkansas attorney general
Citing statistics analyzed by incoming AFSCME 965 Vice President Mike Pierce, an associate professor of history, Boss explained how the lowest paid full-time UA staff members have financial trouble, to the extent a significant segment use the campus’s Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry. Boss emphasized that graduate student research and teaching assistants have a harder time, working on a 50 percent basis, that is 20 hours a week with no benefits. Specifically, a minimum wage for $14.42 an hour is sought.
Ward used his own experiences as a grad assistant in the History Department to explain hardships while studying to earn higher degrees.
Jones examined the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and how the civil rights leader toward the end of his short life came to emphasize the importance of workers’ rights along with civil rights. King was assassinated 50 years and three days earlier helping Memphis municipal employees who were striking for better conditions and wages.
Hinojosa interplayed the history of the labor movement with current economic conditions at the university and across the country. He cited experiences from his organizing career in Arkansas and earlier in Texas.
Garner related what she has learned from many years of working in area nonprofits along with political realities of living during the Trump administration.
Lee presented a policy-oriented legal viewpoint of the state executive, legislative and judicial branches, which have been run conservatively in recent years. He is “a Little Rock attorney and a former compliance officer for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,” according to The Associated Press.
Starling Ledbetter opened and closed the program with songs, accompanying herself on guitar.
They’re actually boxes, which can hold more. Some might think of such volunteer work on holidays themselves, but eating is a 7-day/52-week necessity.
The Arkansas federation of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has announced after research and deliberation its endorsements in races of the November 2018 general election.
As summer starts to course through August. …
UA-Fayetteville Education Association 