Issue Position: Workers' Rights
Issue Position
Rep. Rodriguez is a strong union supporter. From his earliest days in politics, he developed close relationships with longtime union members and Democratic organizers who shaped his perspective on labor rights and the collective power of organized workers - he has maintained these relationships to this day.
Rep. Rodriguez is a proud member of the Texas State Employees Union (CWA Local 6186).
In 2011, Rep. Rodriguez worked together with Senator José Rodriguez (D-El Paso) and labor advocates (Workers Defense Project, Build a Better Texas) to pass the "groundbreaking" Wage Theft Bill (Construction Citizen), a bill that created a powerful mechanism for workers to recover their unpaid wages (SB 1024 - 82R). Rep. Rodriguez passed this bill together with Senator Rodriguez in the wake of a University of Texas study that found that one of every five Austin construction workers is a victim of wage theft.
The Wage Theft Bill made it easier for employers who do not pay their workers to be arrested and prosecuted. SB 1024 closed a loophole that employers used to avoid facing criminal theft of services charges by paying workers a fraction of the amount owed. Following this victory, Rep. Rodriguez worked together with local law enforcement and labor advocates to raise awareness about the new law and coordinate on a plan for rigorous enforcement. The implementation has not been perfect and wage theft continues to occur - Rep. Rodriguez is committed to continuing this work.
Since 2011, Rep. Rodriguez has worked to establish protections against retaliation for workers who seek their lost wages (see below). He has also supported his colleagues' efforts to combat wage theft, including Rep. Mary González's bill that would have required the Texas Workforce Commission to publish a database of employers that have gotten in trouble with the agency for issues related to wage theft (HB 48 - 86R).
Rep. Rodriguez has advanced protections against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity (HB 810 - 78R, HB 1526 - 79R) and pregnancy (HB 1281 - 84R).
Rep. Rodriguez has strongly opposed Texas Republicans' repeated efforts to take away a worker's ability to have their union dues automatically deducted from their paychecks. He helped slow down and defeat these efforts in 2015 and 2017 using his relationships, legislative skills and place on the House State Affairs Committee.
As a member of the House Committees on State Affairs and Calendars (the influential committee that decides if and when a bill will be heard on the House floor) in 2019, Rep. Rodriguez also fought to slow down and defeat Senator Brandon Creighton's suite of anti-labor/anti-local control legislation. These bills would have pre-empted local labor ordinances like paid sick leave, predictive scheduling and "Ban the Box" (Texas Observer).
Locally, Rep. Rodriguez has worked with firefighters, Senator Kirk Watson and others on a series of legislative overhauls of our firefighters' pension board's governing structure, statutory authority and other policies/processes important for the functioning of the system (see below).
Rep. Rodriguez has supported local workers in their negotiations for reasonable pay and working conditions. Recently, he has been proud to stand together with CWA Members and their leadership in negotiations on the AT&T 2020 Purple Mobility Contract. Rep. Rodriguez attended an action, visited with CWA Members and leadership and marched together with them in February 2020.
During the beginning of the pandemic, Rep. Rodriguez sent a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) requesting several actions as follow-up to the Texas House Public Health Committee hearing called on Tuesday, March 10 after conversations with labor advocates. Rep. Rodriguez asked for TWC to suspend the "waiting week" and "work-search" requirements, steps which the agency took shortly after. Rep. Rodriguez is calling for the suspension of these rules to be extended for the duration of the disaster along with other emergency actions to strengthen our state's Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs (see below).
Rep. Rodriguez strongly supported efforts to provide members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) with a "13th check" in the 86th Legislative Session. He is committed to continuing to work to accomplish a long-overdue cost-of-living increase and other much-needed reforms.
Highlights/Legislation:
Wage Theft Bill (SB 1024 - 82R) and Wage Theft Retaliation Bill (HB 106 - 86R )
Firefighters Pension Fund, sponsored by Senator Kirk Watson (HB 1756 - 84R)
Fought Employment Discrimination on bais on sexual orientation or gender identity (HB 1526 - 79R) and prohibiting discrimination against employees or applicants for employment with limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. (HB 1281 - 84R)
Opposed "Right to Work" and Establishing Basic Worker Protections (HB 2781 - 79R and HB 2782 - 79R)
Addressed TDCJ Correctional Officers' Hours (HB 3026 - 79R)
Strongly supported efforts to provide members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) with a "13th check" in the 86th Legislative Session.
Priorities:
Increase access to healthcare for Texas workers and their families by immediately expanding Medicaid and increasing state and local funding for community health centers.
Fight for $15: Raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Oppose all regressive consumption tax proposals or efforts to raise the sales tax, which seek to balance the budget on the backs of working families.
Ensure that workplaces have adequate policies in place to safely and responsibly adapt to COVID-19 in order to protect workers and customers. If they have not, allow workers to "refuse" to return to work and receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.
Ensure that teachers have the resources they need to adapt to remote education.
Repeal "Right-to-Work" laws that stipulate that a person cannot be denied employment because of membership or non-membership in a labor union or other labor organization. The real purpose of such laws is to tilt the balance in our politics, government and economy toward big corporations at the expense of working families. These laws make it harder for working people to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions.
Allow municipalities to adopt local paid sick leave ordinances so that workers do not have to decide between paying the bills and their health. Work toward the goal of universal paid sick leave.
Establish comprehensive protections against discrimination for Texans based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (employment, public accommodations, benefits, etc.).
Support the passage of state prevailing wage legislation which would require that wages for construction workers on public works projects be calculated to reflect local wages for similar jobs. Prevailing wage laws protect communities and workers from unscrupulous contractors low-balling bids on taxpayer-funded construction projects by setting wage rates to the local or prevailing standard.
Support the increasing use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) on public works projects. PLAs, which have been used for generations, are collective bargaining agreements between building trade unions and contractors. They govern terms and conditions of employment for all workers on a construction project. They protect taxpayers by eliminating costly delays due to labor conflicts or shortages of skilled workers.
As Central Texas continues to grow, support Project Connect and mass transit for Austin that will help connect people with their workplaces, increase opportunity and create many good-paying jobs.
Continue leadership on mass transit in the Texas Senate building on past work with CapMetro and Senator Kirk Watson.
Labor advocates must be involved in the planning process.
Address the unique ways that workers who are immigrants are exploited in the workplace.
Wage Theft Retaliation (see above)
HB 4453 - 86R: Relating to creating the criminal offense of retaliation involving immigration status.
Fight to repeal SB 4, the "show me your papers" bill.
Support efforts to reform government contracting to give preference to companies that do not outsource jobs.
Support workers forming unions and protect unions' ability to organize/participate in political activity.
Work together with Republican and Democratic colleagues to pass a bill based on HB 48 (86R - González) that would require the Texas Workforce Commission to publish a database of employers that have gotten in trouble with the agency for issues related to wage theft.
Work together with Republican and Democratic colleagues to pass a bill establishing protections against retaliation for workers who seek to claim their lost wages building on previous efforts.
Urge Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Workforce Commission to immediately implement the outstanding emergency actions urged by labor advocates in order to strengthen our Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs as the unemployment numbers continue to rise in the midst of the pandemic.
Continue to suspend the "waiting week" and "work-search" requirements for the duration of the disaster.
Lead bipartisan effort to hasten reforms of Texas Workforce Commission's infrastructure, systems and processes in order to improve the experience of Texans relying on the agency's services during this unprecedented economic crisis and increase our resiliency in anticipation of future crises.
Invest in workforce training and development and access to childcare for working parents as a crucial pillar of our state's economic recovery.
Oppose mass layoffs of state employees that would drive further strain on our safety net and delay our economic recovery, work to identify alternative solutions to austerity.
Improve pay, benefits and working conditions for state employees to reduce turnover and improve the government's service delivery to Texans.
Work with currently active and retired teachers to achieve a cost-of-living pension increase and continue to work toward the long-term actuarial soundness of the TRS Pension Fund.
Fight efforts to change retirees' defined benefit pension plans to defined contribution plans that take away the benefits that people earned.
Intentionally make the state office accessible to and continue to regularly engage with established labor organizations and workers in various industries in different stages of organization.
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