A group of Texas National Guard members is reportedly working to establish a union to fight on their behalf.
The Texas State Employees Union’s Military Caucus is set to have its first meeting next week, according to the Army Times, which cited an anonymous soldier who is leading the organizing efforts. The soldiers, all of whom work along the border on Operation Lone Star, make up the first known troops to unionize while in state active-duty status.
SENATE SPLIT ON IMPOSING RUSSIAN SANCTIONS BEFORE OR AFTER INVASION OF UKRAINE
A Reddit post about the first meeting says they’ll “be discussing issues specific to service members on Operation Lone Star,” and it noted that the average monthly dues are roughly $30.
“The Texas Military Department has no policy prohibiting employee membership in external support organizations,” Col. Rita Holton, the Texas Military Department’s public affairs director, told the Washington Examiner on Friday.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Department of Justice said last month that a specific federal law that bars service members from organizing unions “does not apply to Guard members on state active duty or in the Inactive National Guard,” which paved the way for the Texas guard members’ opportunity to start or join a union.
Guard members who are part of Operation Lone Star have detailed complaints about their living arrangements, equipment, and pay, while the soldier leading the effort told the Times, “We’re hoping to improve all [those] things.”
