Jason Gibson
A Fitting Tribute - The Grandson of a Pipefitter Continues Fighting For Workers’ Rights
When O.D. Kenemore, a pipefitter in the fume-filled plants of Dow Chemical, was working as a union representative in the early 1950s, he surely knew the safer working conditions he was fighting for would have a positive impact on the lives of his co-workers and their families. He may not have realized the long-lasting impact he would have on workers across the state — and even on someone much closer to home.
After his initiation into the pipefitters union, Kenemore went on to serve as president of the Tidelands Central Labor Council and later as vice president and trustee of the Texas AFL-CIO. In 1990, he was appointed as an employee representative on the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission by Republican Gov. Bill Clements. He was reappointed by Gov. Ann Richards, a Democrat, and continued serving while George W. Bush was governor. He served as chair of the commission, helping to write rules concerning the administration of the Workers’ Compensation Act. He was inducted into the Texas Labor Hall of Fame in 2002...