Local Voices: A Student, A Carrier Pilot, and My Friend Bunny

by Mike Stovall, North Florida AFL-CIOJuly 13, 2017July 13, 2017

As Ellen finished her remarks, her eyes glowed with pride as she looked at her son who now strives to continue in her footsteps as a union pilot and shared gratitude that Bunny and her union family could help provide that opportunity. Generation after generation, struggle after struggle, that moment defined unionism in a nutshell for me. Union is community. It’s working hard to lift one another up in any way that we can so that we can all thrive and so that we can all be heroes.   Who is union strong? Students, hero women pilots, my friend Bunny, you and I, that’s who.

Legislative • Taxes and Economy

Trump’s Budget: A Wish List for the Wealthy, A Nightmare for Florida

by Danielle Thomas, Northwest Florida Central Labor CouncilJune 5, 2017June 5, 2017

The White House official 2018 budget titled, “A New Foundation for American Greatness” reads more like a new plan to kill the American dream for working families. It includes some of the steepest budget cuts the country has ever seen. The victims of these cuts? Florida's poor, the environment, and our children.

Community • Legislative

Gov. Rick Scott Should Veto HB 7069: Terrible Education Policy that Can’t Stand the Light of Day

by Joanne McCall, Florida Education AssociationMay 23, 2017May 23, 2017

If signed into law, HB 7069 will transform our public education system into a disjointed collection of privatized programs taking over a woefully underfunded public good, perhaps the most important public good that government has the responsibility to provide. Here are some of the biggest misstatements being made and why they should be rejected.

Community • Labor • Legislative

The Tallahassee Power Grab

by Andrew Spar, Volusia United Educators April 12, 2017June 5, 2017

As we all learned in school, our government has 3 branches of Government for a reason — to ensure that no one branch gets too much power.

Labor

In Florida, AFSCME’s Razor-Sharp Focus is on Growth

by Raju Chebium, AFSCMEMarch 8, 2017April 12, 2017

Expanding a union is hard work, especially in a “right-to-work” state like Florida, especially after a national election in which anti-union forces wrested control of the White House and Congress. Don’t tell that to AFSCME affiliates in Florida.

Community • Labor • Legislative

Jacksonville workers to hold ‘Rally to Defend the Working Class’

by Dave Schneider, Young Workers of Jacksonville and Mike Stovall, North Florida AFL-CIOMarch 6, 2017March 6, 2017

On Saturday, March 11, workers, unions, the North Florida Central Labor Council and community groups across Florida will rally in downtown Jacksonville to defend the working class, which faces renewed attacks from President Donald Trump and the Republican-dominated Congress.

Business • Labor • Legislative

The Rideshare Risk: Safety and Transit in the age of Uber

by Dwight H. Mattingly, ATU Local 1577February 22, 2017March 6, 2017

What’s concerning is that corporate app backers neglect to highlight an important fact to riders. The reason they can offer such competitive rates is because they are actively exploiting loopholes that allow them to evade traditional driver training and screening requirements that ensure a rider’s safety.

Labor • Legislative

Puzder and Trump’s Cabinet Nominees: Wrong for Working Families

by Yennifer Mateo, Volusia-Flagler AFL-CIOFebruary 7, 2017February 22, 2017

A deep dive into the background of several Trump's nominees reveals a cabinet with a history of standing against the best interests of working people.