About Us
History
The Religion and Labor Network of Austin (RLNA) began in May, 2004 when our founding Director, Karla Johnston-Krase, brought together local faith and labor leaders to share her vision of starting the first affilliate of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) in Texas. With their support, RLNA was born. Since then, RLNA has worked tirelessly with local labor advocates to bring people of faith to stand with workers seeking just pay, benefits, and working conditions for their honest labor.
Originally a program of the Equal Justice Center in Austin, RLNA is now an independent organization seeking our own 501c3 status. In the meantime, IWJ serves as our fiscal sponsor. To learn more about RLNA and our work, please contact our Executive Director, Carla Cheatham, at 512-527-4455 or Carla@ReligionAndLaborNetwork.org
2005
- Successfully campaigned to convince Austin Independent School District Board Members to honor its original agreement to pay prevailing wages and benefits for construction workers hired to work on a $520 million bond project.
- Joined Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091 in calling the city’s transit authority, CapMetro, to fairly negotiate, in good faith, a contract with Austin’s transit workers.
- Joined Workers Defense Project to successfully block an anti-solicitation ordinance proposed in Austin City Council that would have made it illegal for honest workers to solicit work on street corners and other sites around the city. Instead, the City Council agreed to form a Day Labor Community Advisory Committee to review the needs of both day laborers and the city and consider opening a second Formal Day Labor Work Site in the city.
2006
- Hosted numerous film screenings, lectures, and forums, including our Working Voices program to educate the general public and faith communities about the plight of workers and how persons may join RLNA in making a positive difference in workers’ lives.
- Monitored the activity of the Day Labor Community Advisory Committee to ensure the workers’ voices were heard and acknowledged in every step of the committee’s process.
2007
- Led the local faith community in playing a critical role in the Austin Sweat Free Coalition’s campaign to encourage Austin City Council to unanimously pass the first “Sweat Free” policy in the state of Texas. As a result, some $2.7 million of Austin’s tax dollars will *not* go to purchase garments for city employees from business who contract with sweatshops in the U.S. or abroad.
- Mobilized the faith community to join a coalition of advocacy groups to speak out against a newly proposed Anti-Solicitation Ordinance in Austin City Council that would have made it illegal for day laborers to seek employment outside of the formal worker centers and for persons who are homeless to ask for monetary assistance from motorists along Austin’s roadways.
- Responded to a call from Amalgamated Transit Union local 1091 to speak before the Cap Metro Board of Directors, calling on them to suspend an illegal move to make city transit workers public employees. Had this move succeeded, these workers would have lost their right to collectively bargain, effectively crippling any power the union had to negotiate a fair contract for workers.
2008 and Beyond…
- Again played a crucial role in Austin Sweat Free Coalition’s efforts to encourage Travis County Commissioners to unanimously pass a Sweat Free policy, as well.
- Leading a local campaign and joining with a national effort to call upon Target Stores to pay at least minimum wage custodial workers and security guards working at Target’s facilities in Austin and across the country.
- Over the years, RLNA has worked with Workers Defense Project to secure thousands of dollars in wages stolen from immigrant workers by their employers through letters, phone calls, personal meetings, and candlelight prayer vigils at employers’ homes and worksites.
Our Leadership
Our leadership is comprised of our Executive Director, Carla Cheatham, our Board of Directors, and our Members and Friends. We meet monthly to evaluate our current campaigns, share information, and coordinate future actions. Our Board is a “Working Board” with each member serving as the chair of at least one of our committees:
- Reverend June Wilkins Board Co-Chair, Chair of Organizational Development and Outreach Associate Pastor, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church, ELCA
- Michael Murphy—Board Co-Chair Chair Campaigns and Actions Committee Organizer, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- Karla Johnston-Krase—Member Chair of Education Committee Member, United Presbyterian Church
- Lesley Ramsey—Member Co-Chair of Financial Committee Outreach Director, Center for Public Policy Priorities
- Louis Malfaro Member, Co-Chair Financial Committee President, Education Austin
Our Membership
Our Network is a powerful mix of leaders from faith, labor, and the community; their respective organizations; and concerned citizens for the Austin area. Through our monthly planning meetings and our e-mailed Action Alerts, we work together to fulfill our mission of pursuing justice for Central Texas workers. Just a few of our partners are listed below:
- American Friends Service Committee
- Austin Sweat Free Coalition
- Central Labor Council
- Texas AFL-CIO
- Texas Fair Trade Coalition
- Workers Defense Project (Proyecto Defensa Laboral—PDL)
“You shall not withhold wages of poor and needy laborers, whether fellow citizens or strangers who reside in your land in one of your towns.”
-Deuteronomy 24:14-15
Get Involved
Join us in our work. Below you can join our contact list and make an online donation to support us.
Join RNLA
Donate Today
Suport the work of RNLA by making a donation to our work. Please follow the following directions to donate online to RLNA:
- Open the Donations Page.
- Scroll down to the box that says, "This gift is being made in honor of..."
- Type in RLNA. Otherwise we will not receive your donation.