United Labor Unions Local 100
ORGANIZE A UNION AT YOUR WORKPLACE TODAY!
Updates
- SEPTEMBER 2026
Organizing Heats up at Dallas School District
DALLAS ISD BUS DRIVERS ARE TAKING IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD
This summer’s record-breaking heat hasn’t slowed down bus drivers. Across Dallas Independent School District, drivers have been doing their daily work in aging buses with no air conditioning, hauling kids to and from school in triple-digit heat with no relief for themselves or the students on board.
Bus drivers and support staff are fed up. They are are organizing with Local 100 to do something about it.
Taking the Issue to the Board
On August 27th, Local 100 DFW Metroplex Lead Organizer Anne Reed addressed the Dallas ISD school board directly, joined by six bus drivers who came to make sure their working conditions were addressed.
They layed out two main issues:
1. Hot buses without air conditioning: drivers are working full shifts in extreme heat with no cooling relief, in vehicles that are overdue for replacement.
2. Driver retention: qualified, experienced drivers are leaving the job, and the district is bleeding money trying to replace them.
DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD Old Buses, No Relief
The ask to the board was straightforward: newer buses, cooling stations for drivers between routes, and temperature gauges so extreme heat conditions can actually be tracked and responded to instead of just being guessed at.
The Cost of Losing Good Drivers
Local 100 is also pushing the district to implement an exit strategy — a process for talking to bus drivers and support staff when they leave, so the district understands why qualified people are walking away instead of just posting another job listing.
That matters because it costs Dallas ISD, and ultimately taxpayers, real money every time a trained, qualified driver quits and has to be replaced. Dallas ISD should be working to keep the people who already know the routes, know the kids, and know the job. The district should be investing in retention, not turnover.
Support Staff don’t have to fight alone
Whereas other unions are there for the teachers, Local 100 represents support staff specifically. We stand with campus workers dealing with poor working conditions to insure they’re not fighting this alone. Local 100 is working to bring support staff together across departments so issues like heat, staffing, retention, respect on the job — are raised as one collective voice instead of scattered, individual complaints that are easy for a district to ignore.
What’s Next
The next Dallas ISD school board meeting is September 24th, and Local 100 will be there again. We hope more support staff — bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and beyond — will join us. Every seat filled and every voice raised makes it harder for the district to look away.
Local 100 Member Speaks up for Staff Protections from Arkansas Law
ACT 372 WOULD CRIMINALIZE LIBRARIANS. ULU MEMBER LONI BEAN TOOK HER CONCERNS TO THE BOARD
LOCAL 100 MEMBER LONI BEAN SPEAKING AT THE AUGUST CALS BOARD MEETING Local 100 members showed up to the August Central Arkansas Library System board meeting to put a question to the board directly: what is CALS going to do to protect staff from Act 372?
What is Act 372?
Act 372 has been tied up in court since it passed in 2023. The law imposes criminal penalties for distributing material deemed “harmful to minors.” A federal district judge struck down key parts of it as unconstitutional back in December 2024. But this July, a federal appeals court reversed that ruling and cleared the way for the law to take effect.
That leaves library workers in a genuinely dangerous spot. Violating the law is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. And nobody can say with certainty what the law actually requires. John Adams, lead attorney for the eighteen plaintiffs (CALS and outgoing Executive Director Nate Coulter among them) challenging the law, told the board he intends to ask the appeals court for clarification on how libraries are supposed to comply. Until that happens, Coulter said, staff may not know where the lines are until someone actually gets prosecuted for crossing one.
Local 100 Speaks Up
Member Loni Bean, a bilingual specialist at the Dee Brown Library, took that risk to the board directly. Bean warned that Act 372’s supporters could try to “make an example of” a worker at the state’s largest library system, and asked the board to do something concrete about it: pass a policy, at next month’s meeting, guaranteeing that CALS will provide legal representation and job security for any employee who faces legal trouble for actions taken in good faith, on the job, in line with library policy.
Nate Coulter Is on Board, and the Next Director Needs to Be as Well
Executive Director Coulter has already pleged to support CALS staff, and he voiced support for putting a more formal protection policy in place, to the agreement of several other board members. Since he’ll be retiring in October, it makes sense for the board to take this step of making that pledge an official policy of the library.
What’s next
The board was agreeable to the resolution but we’ll need to bring it up again next meeting to make sure it gets to a vote.
Next CALS Board Meeting: Thursday Sept. 24, Noon
Vera Snook Boardroom 5th floor of Main BranchBefore you go, send an email to board@cals.org by Noon on Wed Sept. 23 to request public comment.
What We’re Asking the Board to Adopt
Local 100 has put forward the following language for to the board:Central Arkansas Library System will provide or fund legal representation for any employee who faces a legal complaint, investigation, or criminal charge arising from actions taken in good faith in the course of their job duties and in accordance with library policy, including matters arising under Act 372.
Congratulations Jera Mitchell!
CITY OF LITTLE ROCK STEWARD JERA MITCHELL (LEFT)
WITH LOCAL 100 FIELD DIRECTOR TONEY ORRIn recognition of dedicated service as a union steward at the City of
Little Rock Aug. 20, 2025 to present. For standing strong, speaking up,
and fighting for the rights and dignity of our members.Your strength makes our union strong!
2026 Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA) Orientation
LOCAL 100 ORGANIZER WILLIAM ROMERO (LEFT) WITH TONEY ORR AND UNION MEMBERS 
United Labor Unions Local 100 is proud to represent Head Start and Early Head Start workers at GCCSA. From classroom teachers to support staff, our members are the people who make GCCSA’s mission possible every day. Local 100 stands with you to make sure your voices are heard!
From the Field Director’s Desk
ULU Local 100 Field Director
Toney Orr
Take a look at our Local 100 logo sometime. Right there in the design is a map of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It’s a reminder of how far this union reaches. Local 100 isn’t just active in one city or one state. We’re on the ground in all the states on that logo, fighting for our members.
In Little Rock Arkansas, we sat down with several different city departments to hash out workplace issues on behalf of our members.
But that’s not all we’ve been up to.
Right now we’re at the table negotiating contracts with Head Start centers in Shreveport and Houston, and with nursing homes in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. We’re working alongside city employees in New Orleans. And up in Dallas, we’re pushing the Independent School District on hot buses and the other safety concerns that come with them, because we fight for the staff driving those busses and the kids it’s not just the kids riding those buses who are at risk. It’s the staff driving them too.
None of this happens by accident, and none of it happens without members who show up. Every one of these fights, whether it’s a bus in Dallas or a nursing home in Baton Rouge, started with someone deciding they weren’t going to wait around for things to get better on their own. That’s what organizing is. It’s the power we build together when we stop asking permission and start asking each other for help.
So this month, I want to remind you of that power. Whatever state you’re in, whatever workplace you clock into, you are part of something bigger than your building or your city. We are in solidarity with every one of our members across every state we serve, and that solidarity is what makes all of this work!
- ARKANSAS UPDATE JULY 2026
Part of Something Bigger
UNITED LABOR UNIONS LOCAL 100 IS PROUD TO STAND WITH ARKANSAS WORKERS
This is the first issue of a newsletter for members of United Labor Unions Local 100, City of Little Rock workers, State of Arkansas employees, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), and Central Arkansas Library System staff. This union exists because working people across our city are stronger standing together.
For our City of Little Rock members, this past year brought real gains. Local 100 has pushed for fair compensation and better working conditions for municipal employees, and that work is paying off.
Local 100 isn’t new to this work. Founded in 1980 in New Orleans by Hyatt hotel and Tulane University workers, the union proved organizing could win in the South.
After affiliating with SEIU in 1984, Local 100 organized school support staff across Louisiana, healthcare workers in Arkansas and Louisiana hospitals, and Head Start workers across Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
In 2009, Local 100 became independent again, giving members direct control of their union.
Today we represent workers across Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi, and remain connected to ACORN International, part of a global network of community organizations.
Our reach extends to the airwaves too. Local 100 is a proud partner of KABF 88.3 FM, “The Voice of the People,” a 100,000-watt community radio station broadcasting across Arkansas since 1984.
Our Field Director, Toney Orr, currently chairs KABF’s board, giving our members a real platform to be heard.
Whether you work for the City, CALS, the State of Arkansas, or UAMS, you’re joining a union with decades of experience winning for working people.
Welcome to the first issue.
The Librarians are Organizing!
CALS STAFF ACROSS CENTRAL ARKANSAS JOIN LOCAL 100
Branch by branch, something new is growing inside the Central Arkansas Library System.
Over the past month, library workers across CALS have been quietly and steadily organizing with United Labor Unions Local 100, and in recent weeks that momentum has accelerated.
Members have now come forward from 9 of CALS’s 15 branches, representing a broad cross-section of the system’s dedicated staff.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm for the union. For having a voice, for the protection that standing together provides,” said Greg Moore, organizer for ULU Local 100.
This organizing effort isn’t happening in opposition to CALS. It’s happening because library workers believe in the mission of this system and want to see it succeed for the long haul.
That means building a real, working partnership with the Library Board and the Administrative Office, one where staff have a voice when decisions are made about the policies and conditions that shape their daily work.
A stronger, more stable workforce is good for CALS patrons, good for the branches, and good for the system as a whole.
The union is about protecting the CALS librarians as professionals, as the people who do the daily work on the front lines to make the library run.
It will give a voice to issues that matter most to staff, from consistent application of personnel procedures to safety concerns to simply having a clear channel for feedback to be heard.
The goal is a library system where the people who keep it running every day have a real voice in how it’s run.
United Labor Unions Local 100 is proud to stand with CALS staff, and we look forward to working with the administration.
Your Union Stewards are Here to Help
Your union steward is your first point of contact when you have a question, a concern, or a problem at work.
Whether it’s a disciplinary issue, a question about your rights, or just something that doesn’t feel right, your steward is there to listen and help you figure out next steps.
You don’t have to do this alone! That’s what the union is for.
If you are interested in getting trained to be a steward in your department, contact the union!
Did You Know? City of Little Rock Workers Can Use Their Work History to Boost Their Pay!
SUBMIT A RESUME TO APPLY FOR A HIGHER SALARY TODAY
If you work for the City of Little Rock and you’ve been wondering whether there’s anything you can do to move up the pay scale, the answer might already be sitting in your work history.
According to the City of Little Rock’s Compensation Manual, your prior work experience can factor into your salary.
What This Means for You
A detailed resume or work history document that lists your previous employers, job titles, dates, and responsibilities can move you up the steps to a higher pay grade.
Simply submit a resume of your work experience starting with age 18.
Steps to Take Right Now
1. Review the Compensation Manual
The City of Little Rock publishes its pay scales and compensation guidelines online.
2. Build a complete work history
Don’t leave anything out.
List every job you’ve held, including dates of employment and a clear description of your duties.
All of it counts toward your equity score.
3. Make sure you put in your whole work history when applying
When applying through the City’s job portal:
governmentjobs.com/careers/littlerock
include all of your work history.
4. Ask about reclassification
If your job duties have expanded over time but your pay grade hasn’t budged, you may qualify for a reclassification.
Contact HR at (501) 371-4590 to ask about the process.
5. Talk to your union rep
ULU Local 100 is here to help members navigate this process.
If you have questions about your pay grade, your options, or how to document your experience effectively, reach out to us.
If you have questions or want help putting together your work history, contact Local 100 at (501) 247-3869
City of Little Rock Launches New Career Pathway for Traffic Signal Technicians
The City of Little Rock has established a new, standardized career pathway for traffic signal personnel, creating a clear and structured route for advancement while ensuring safe, reliable signal operations across the city.
The program is competency-based, meaning promotions are tied to demonstrated skill and industry certification rather than time alone.
It consists of three progressive positions.
Apprentices spend up to 24 months building foundational knowledge and safety skills before advancing through a written and hands-on exam, along with IMSA Level I certification.
Technician I staff develop independent maintenance and troubleshooting skills over 18 to 36 months, advancing through exams, leadership training, and IMSA Level II certification.
Technician II represents advanced diagnostics, programming, and leadership responsibilities.
Training is self-directed, built around the Traffic Signal Maintenance Handbook (TSMII), 2nd edition, and reinforced through two outside vendor training sessions annually, one IMSA certification class per year, ongoing on-the-job training, and check-ins at least every six months.
Employees who maintain a valid Commercial Driver’s License are also eligible for a $3,000 annual incentive payment.
This pathway ensures traffic signal workers are properly compensated for their expertise and gives them a real avenue for advancement.
Local 100 is excited to work with the City to develop similar career pathways in other departments.
From the Field Director’s Desk
ULU Local 100 Field Director Toney Orr
One question I hear often is: What is the union doing for me?
My answer is always the same — I ask it right back: what are you doing for the union?
It’s been ten months since Local 100 took over representation of the City, and change has never been easy.
In the beginning, it felt like running around like a chicken with its head cut off!
We kept trying to plug leak after leak left behind by years of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and, at times, a lack of cooperation from the city.
I’m grateful to the members and stewards who helped us get through those first months.
Now we’re starting to level out, and we’re seeing real progress — not just in wages, but in policy changes, in the compensation and equity studies, in a new seniority policy, and in holding management accountable to the goals we set at our first bargaining session.
Does that mean we’re satisfied? No.
Does it mean we’re complacent? No.
There is still so much work ahead, and changing a culture takes time.
But it is happening.
None of this would exist without the employees who first came to us wanting something different.
Andrew Brewer, Carlos Perry, Kashanda Perry, Curtis Cunningham, Justin Marin, David Withers, Karla Parker, and Helen Peaster made up our original negotiating team for the City of Little Rock, and their hard work opened the door not just for our city members, but for the momentum we’ve since built with the Central Arkansas Library System and beyond.
Going forward, you’ll see this newsletter every month, along with suggestion boxes and a Member of the Month feature.
We’re also working with our stewards to lock in a regular time for monthly membership meetings, so stay tuned and keep the questions coming!
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 / 6PM 2101 S. Main St. Little Rock
- Local 100 Election Slate – 2025 to 2028
The Local 100 Executive Board acting as a Nominating Committee of the whole has completed and recommended a full slate making sure that all areas of the union are represented and all vacancies created by movements out of our jurisdiction are now filled. The slate is as follows:
President Henrietta Collins (Human Development Arkansas – Warren, AR)
Vice-President Ami Rodriguez (Gulf Coast CCA – Houston, TX)
Secretary-Treasurer Toney Orr (Local 100 ULU – Little Rock, AR)
Executive Board Carmond West (HISD – Houston, TX)
Executive Board Jackie Dartez (LARC – Lafayette, LA)
Executive Board Michael Courtney (Sevita – Baton Rouge, LA)
Executive Board Andrew Brewer (City of Little Rock – Little Rock, AR)
Executive Board Redonia Harshaw (UAMS – Little Rock, AR)
Executive Board Billy Johnson (Caddo Parish CAA – Head Start – Shreveport, LA)
Executive Board Anita Bell (ABM – New Orleans, LA)
Chief Organizer Wade Rathke (Local 100 ULU – New Orleans, LA)
Nominations are now open to any other qualified member (a dues paying member for the last 2 years who submits sufficient signatures on a qualifying position to run according to Local 100 Constitution and Bylaws) until March 15th and must be received by the close of business that date at 2221 St. Claude Avenue at our headquarters in New Orleans.
If there are no additional nominations for any position, the slate will be elected unanimously. If nominations are received for any particular position, then ballots will go out for voting to take place by March 15th. The new terms will run from 1/1/25 through 12/31/27.
Thanks to all Local 100 members for your participation.
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