Category Archives: Advocacy in Action

NORTH SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER WELCOMES GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT FOR PRIVATE ADDRESS ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Leticia Peña Martinez
February 15, 2019

SAN ANTONIO, TX – The North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce was pleased to welcome Governor Greg Abbott to a special lunch event for business leaders, largely comprised of its Board of Directors.

“As we progress through the Texas 86th Legislative Session, we are thrilled to have the Governor visit with the San Antonio business community to hear directly from him on many important issues that will impact economic development, employment, and job growth,” said Cristina Aldrete, Chamber President and CEO.

“We are a Chamber focused on promoting a pro-business environment that continues to fuel economic growth and job creation for businesses throughout San Antonio,” noted Aldrete

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Founded in 1974, the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce is proud to serve the San Antonio business community with an earned reputation as one of the state’s most dynamic advocacy organizations. The North San Antonio Chamber is resolute in their efforts to provide professional development, leadership recognition, and legislative advocacy for small businesses, cybersecurity, technology, transportation, and trade in Bexar County.

North San Antonio Chamber Enters Into Exclusive Partnership With Bexar County on Development of Bexar County Military Transition Center

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 30, 2018

 CONTACT: Mary-Margaret Hasslocher

NORTH SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER ENTERS INTO EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY ON DEVELOPMENT OF BEXAR COUNTY MILITARY TRANSITION CENTER

SAN ANTONIO, TX – The North San Antonio Chamber has entered into an exclusive partnership with Bexar County to assist in developing the new Bexar County Military Transition Center. The announcement was made by Judge Nelson Wolff at the annual North San Antonio Chamber State of the County address on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bexar County Military Transition Center will seek to attract and retain a skilled workforce through military personnel who plan to transition from the military and stay in San Antonio. Approximately 4,000 active duty military process out of the military into Bexar County each year.

Military Service Officers from Bexar County will start working with military personnel six months before they plan to discharge from the military. The MSO will create an online data profile to assess each active military member’s needs and create a customized plan of action to ensure that all recently transitioned active personnel, and family members, reach their goals and are successful within six months post active duty.

Outside of the gate, the North San Antonio Chamber will work with the business community to identify key industries and specific San Antonio based companies in need of workforce and match those companies with the Military Transition Program. Additionally, the North San Antonio Chamber will work to bridge the gap through partnerships with higher education institutions, such as Hallmark University, who is prepared to retrofit programs in cybersecurity and healthcare for discharging military.

“I am happy to announce a partnership, the first of its kind, with the North San Antonio Chamber. The North San Antonio Chamber will connect our veterans to local businesses for employment. It will be the first direct pipeline to helping them secure employment outside the gate. Our veterans served us and now we want to provide opportunities for them.” Judge Nelson Wolff said.

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Founded in 1974, the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce is proud to serve the San Antonio business community with an earned reputation as one of the state’s most dynamic advocacy organizations. The North San Antonio Chamber is resolute in their efforts to provide professional development, leadership recognition, and legislative advocacy for small businesses, cybersecurity, technology, transportation, and trade in Bexar County.

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Contact
North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
Mary-Margaret Hasslocher, Director of Public Affairs
(210) 344-4848
mhasslocher@northsachamber.com

 

 

North SA Chamber Opposes SA Airport RFP Labor Peace Agreement

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

 

February 8, 2018

NORTH SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OPPOSES SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT RFP LABOR PEACE AGREEMENT

The City of San Antonio is preparing to move forward with a solicitation that represents a major change in contracting policy which could negatively impact local businesses.  On January 18, 2018, the City issued a request for proposal (“RFP”) for concessions at the airport.  The Food, Beverage, and Retail Prime Concessionaire for San Antonio International Airport (RFP 18-014) requires the selected private entity to enter into an agreement with a labor organization as a condition of receiving a City contract.

The alarming element to the RFP is the “Labor Peace Agreement Requirement” (LPA) which will “require that all solicitation documents and contracts for terminal concessions at SAT include a requirement to implement a labor peace agreement between the concessionaire, its affiliates and its subtenants, if any, and any requesting labor organizations which represent or reasonably might represent employees working as part of the prime concession agreement…”.

The LPA requirement serves as a significant policy change, and was added to the RFP at the request of City Council without public hearings or input from the San Antonio business community.  The LPA clause in the present RFP may set a precedent and cause local companies to feel pressured to unionize, forcing them to absorb additional costs to implement union requirements.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Freedom Initiative: “Labor peace ordinances come in many different forms, but they all have one essential purpose: to apply economic pressure on employers to compel them to grant organizing concessions to unions.”

Such concessions may include “card check,” where employers recognize a union based on signed cards, rather than by the results of a secret ballot election; “neutrality,” when employers refrain from expressing negative opinions about unions and does not intervene in organizing campaigns; and “workplace access,” when employers allow outside union organizers in the workplace” and are subject to sharing all employee contact information.

“In exchange, unions typically must promise not to strike, picket, or otherwise disrupt an employer’s operations…”.

Such a provision could have a real and negative effect on our members’ businesses if it becomes a requirement in all city contracts.  This puts small to medium-sized local businesses in San Antonio at a competitive disadvantage with larger national companies who can afford to operate on smaller profit margins. This also will send an unnerving message to companies looking to relocate to San Antonio, negatively affecting economic growth and business development in our city.

The North San Antonio Chamber, along with several other pro-business organizations, is calling on the Mayor and City Council to delay the RFP process until the business community is given a full briefing in order to get a better understanding of the impetus for this proposal.

We want to hear from our Members!  Do you agree or disagree with the Labor Peace Agreement clause?  Send your comments to info@northsachamber.com.

 

North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
12930 Country Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 344-4848