Labor

Florida Unions Answer the Call for Hurricane Relief

by Mike Williams, Florida AFL-CIO
What does it mean to be union? It means standing together with family, co-workers and community, especially when they need it the most. Union members across the state exemplified that definition with relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Irma over the past two weeks. In the wake of Irma, Florida AFL-CIO created the Florida Workers Relief Fund, a program to help provide relief for union members, their families and community partners. Funds raised statewide have been going directly to union members who are still struggling to get back on their feet in areas that were hardest hit.
Labor

A Short History of Labor Day and the Freedom to Join Together

by Ted Parsons, Palm Beach - Treasure Coast AFL-CIO
Today, the rich and powerful continue to rig the rules to take away our freedom to join together in union for a fair return on our work. On this Labor Day, we must remember why we celebrate the first Monday in September. We honor all of the accomplishments we have made for workers rights, we pay tribute to those who sacrificed so much blood, sweat, and tears, and we reaffirm our determination to continue the fight to do better, for all workers.
Community • Labor

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

by Mike Stovall, North Florida AFL-CIO
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 Council
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 Association
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
Labor