Laborers Rise to the Occasion in Texas
The Texas AFL-CIO has honored LIUNA Local 1095’s Volunteer Organizing Committee (VOC) with its 2025 Community Service Award, recognizing their hands-on commitment to supporting working families and improving lives in San Antonio. The award was presented June 28 during the Texas AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention.
“Volunteer work has always been central to the mission of organized labor in Texas,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Richard Levy. “Your service reflects well on all union members and is a sterling example for everyone.”
Throughout the year, the VOC has stepped up time and again – clearing out homes, helping turn out voters, and running classes on workers’ rights and collective bargaining. One of their biggest efforts was demolishing a fire-damaged home occupied by a disabled mother and her two adult children, who also live with disabilities. The house had become a financial and safety burden, and the VOC’s action helped the family avoid a $25,000 lien from the city. “We even demolished a home,” said Matt Gonzales, Vice President of the Southwest Laborers District Council. “We showed up with compassion – and with tools.”
“This award isn’t about recognition – it’s about responsibility. Our members don’t wait to be asked. They see a neighbor in need and they step in, just like Laborers always have,” Gonzales continued.
Earlier this year, the VOC made headlines for building a wheelchair ramp – at no cost – for a family in crisis after a medical emergency. San Antonio Councilmember Teri Castillo put it simply: “Their support for our families in need demonstrates what solidarity is all about – showing up for each other in times of need.”
That same spirit filled the room when LIUNA General President Brent Booker addressed the Convention. “Solidarity is how we WIN,” he told the crowd, drawing cheers from Laborers across Texas. From Laborers Rising to the March to a Million Members to the rallying cry to Get Out of the Damn Truck, Booker made it clear that LIUNA is pushing forward – and pulling no punches. Delegates and members from the Southwest Laborers District Council and Locals 154, 350, and 1095 stood with their General President, ready to keep organizing, keep growing, and keep fighting for every worker in Texas.
Southwest Laborers District Council (SWLDC) Business Manager Cassie Hammond closed the event with a clear message: “When folks see LIUNA orange, they don’t just see hard hats<” she said. “They see folks who show up – on jobsites, in neighborhoods, and in people’s lives. That’s what this award means. And that’s what we’ll keep doing.”
