It's a move that may signal a changing tide in Houston's labor landscape: mental health workers at The Harris Center are rallying to organize a union, and they've got heavyweight support from local government leaders. Thursday's gathering saw a cadre of employees, flanked by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis, deliver a petition signed by over 250 workers who are demanding better conditions and recognition of their union efforts, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The Harris County Commissioners threw their weight behind the employees' cause, approving a resolution 4-1 to back the would-be unionizers, with the single dissenting vote cast by the panel's lone Republican, Commissioner Tom Ramsey. Hidalgo also seized the moment to lambaste the state for eroding workers' rights—specifically criticizing House Bill 2127, which shockingly nixes mandatory water breaks for construction workers amid a sweltering Texas heat wave; this bill has been labeled the "Death Star Bill" for its sweeping preemptions of local regulations across various industries, according to a Chron.com report.
The groundwork for unionization at The Harris Center has been set by their peers at Austin's Integral Care, who led the way as the first Texas mental health provider to successfully unionize under Communications Workers of America (CWA) last year. Harris Center workers, currently lacking formal union status, are calling for actions including a 7% raise, regular dialogues with management, and a fair process for dispute resolution—their frustration boiling over after decades without meaningful increases in wages or benefits, amidst rising living costs in Houston, as per the Houston Chronicle.
Despite an immediate response from The Harris Center claiming surprise at county officials' endorsements and defending a direct employee-employer model over third-party representation, the workers' struggle for collective bargaining rights in a state with paltry union membership figures could be emblematic of a broader labor movement resurgence in the region. Hidalgo, vocal in her support for the organizing employees, spoke of bolstering a workforce increasingly beset by lessened state protections, "We need to give workers a voice so they can speak out and help the state build basic reasonable conditions in the face of these laws that are making things worse and worse and moving a situation from bad to worse,"she mentioned in a statement obtained by Chron.com.
While a spokesperson from The Harris Center acknowledged the organization's appreciation for the Commissioners Court’s support, indicating an alignment on the need for a fair workplace, it remains to be seen how this unionization bid will unfold in a landscape where labor is increasingly fighting back against deregulatory headwinds.
