Union leader and Texas AFT President Linda Bridges remembered as a ‘giant of the Texas labor movement’ JANUARY 13, 2015 BY TEXAS AFT 2 COMMENTS Also See: Statement from Texas AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2015 CONTACT: Rob D’Amico (512-627-1343) Linda Bridges, a lifelong labor leader and president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, died suddenly on January 13 of natural causes at her home in Austin, Texas. She was 65. LindaReclaim Linda Bridges “Linda was a true legend, a giant of the Texas labor movement,” said John Patrick, Texas AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer. Bridges became president of Texas AFT in 2005, after a long period of service as the president of Corpus Christi AFT. She watched Texas AFT’s membership grow from some 48,000 members to more than 65,000 during her tenure. “When times got tough, as they often did when trying to look out for the welfare of teachers and students, Linda was the one person you knew had to be in the room with you to figure out the next step,” said Louis Malfaro, Texas AFT’s secretary-treasurer. “She had a tactical mind and always seemed to be the one with solution to the latest challenge. And thankfully, she also carried a wicked sense of humor that kept everyone in stitches.” A tireless advocate for public education, Bridges spent much of her time crisscrossing the state assisting local unions and meeting with teachers to hear their concerns. For those who worked with her, one of her most memorable moments came in the form of an impromptu answer to a reporter’s question at a Capitol press conference. When, in the wake of severe cuts to public education funding and thousands of teacher layoffs, she was asked why Texas AFT continued to show up at the Legislature year after year and rally its members to fight for a seemingly hopeless cause, she quietly replied: “Because our kids are worth it.” “Our union has lost a great leader, and I’ve lost a true friend,” said Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers president. “Linda was a beloved member of the AFT family. She woke up every morning with one goal on her mind: To make sure educators had a voice—a crucial element in helping all kids succeed. There was never a mountain too high, an obstacle too great or an opponent too fierce to derail her from that goal. She’s one of a kind. We will so miss her, but I know we will all try to emulate her kind spirit, strong leadership and tireless advocacy for students, parents and communities. Our prayers are with Linda’s family today. Please know that her legacy will continue on.” Bridges started her career in education as an elementary special education teacher in the Corpus Christi Independent School District. She was a charter member of the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers and served as president of the local union for 24 years. Since collective bargaining for teachers is not authorized by Texas law, Bridges in 1979 helped pioneer “elected consultation,” a designation (usually by election among all affected school employees) as the organization that formally negotiates with a district on employee wages, benefits and working conditions. The system she helped forge in Corpus Christi has spread to several other districts in the state and has been heralded a successful model for collaboration between school employees and district administration. Bridges served on numerous community and labor leadership posts through her career, including: Vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, Texas AFT’s national affiliate. Vice president of the Texas AFL-CIO, in which Texas AFT represents the largest block of union membership. A member of the Plaintiff’s Advisory Committee that negotiated an end to busing in Corpus Christi ISD in exchange for increased funding and educational opportunities for students in the district’s lowest-performing schools. President of the Coastal Bend Labor Council and director of the United Way of the Coastal Bend. Regent of Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. Services for Bridges are pending at this time and will be announced on the Texas AFT Web site at texasaft.org. Texas AFT represents more than 65,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.6-million-member American Federation of Teachers. ###
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 20:36:58 +0000
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