CWA Members Mobilize for Pro-Worker Candidates in San Antonio Runoff

In San Antonio, Texas, members, retirees, and allies of CWA Local 6143 mobilized in support of pro-worker candidates for local offices, including mayor and city council. Members participated in multiple phone banks and knocked on hundreds of doors to spread the word about candidates who support workers and their families. The hotly contested races resulted in a runoff election for which voting ended on June 7.

CWA Local 6143 officially endorsed incumbents Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Teri Castillo, who were among the first to sign a public letter supporting members during contract negotiations and continued to show their support by joining an informational picket outside AT&T. They both won outright in the first round.

Runoff races included CWA-endorsed candidates Sukh Kaur for City Council District 1, Ric Galvan for City Council District 6, and Ivalis Meza Gonzalez for City Council District 8. Gonzalez and Kaur won handily against heavily funded Republican opposition. In a nail-biting finish, Galvan narrowly defeated his opponent, winning his District 6 seat by only 25 votes. Both Galvan and Gonzales received enthusiastic endorsements from the San Antonio AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

Members also celebrated the election of Gina Ortiz Jones, San Antonio’s first Asian American, LGBTQ+ mayor. In her press release, Jones recognized the crucial support she received from CWA Local 6143 and all Labor affiliates that helped in the campaign. Jones ran on a platform calling for the expansion of access to childcare & pre-K, investment in local job training, and ensuring community benefits from city projects.

CWA activists “left it all on the field,” engaging their community via text messages, social media, polling, and in-person. In an election where winners are decided by only a handful of votes, CWA played a critical role in determining the outcomes of several races. Activists combined strategy and solidarity in a win for all San Antonians.

 
CWA Local 6143 members, retirees, and activists mobilized in support of pro-worker candidates in San Antonio, Texas. They helped elect a slate of labor-friendly officials in highly contested races.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.