The Protecting the Right to Organize Act or PRO Act is a game-changer for America’s working people. After decades of attacks on our right to organize, if passed, this bill would level the playing field between employers and working people. The bill will empower workers to advocate for improved safety standards, wages, and an economy that works for all.

Last year, the PRO Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives but was stifled by Mitch McConnell and his anti-worker allies. This year the bill has passed the House of Representatives once again, and we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pass this monumental legislation.

Join us in telling the Senate to vote yes on the PRO Act. Click here to sign the petition in support of the PRO Act. Click here to call your senator and tell them to pass the PRO Act.

Across the Sunshine State, members and leaders are continuing to advocate for the passage of the PRO Act.

Florida AFL-CIO President Mike Williams wrote a guest column for the Orlando Sentinel about the importance of this legislation. You can read it here.

North Central Florida Central Labor Council President Lanny Mathis’s op/ed in support of the PRO Act was published in the Gainesville Sun. You can read it here.

As part of a national week of action by the AFL-CIO, Florida’s Central Labor Councils held events calling on Florida’s senators to vote yes on the PRO Act.

The Space Coast AFL-CIO hosted a digital press conference, which you can watch here.

The West Central Labor Council hosted a press conference in downtown Tampa featuring U.S. Representative Kathy Castor, Florida State Senator Darryl Rouson, Florida State Representatives Susan Valdes and Dianne Hart, and local labor leaders. You can watch the live stream of the event here.

The Central Florida also hosted a press conference calling on our senators to pass the PRO Act in Orlando along with State Representative Anna Eskamani. Click here to watch the live stream.

In Miami, State Senator Annette Taddeo joined the South Florida AFL-CIO for a rally outside of Senator Marco Rubio’s Miami office. After the rally and press conference, union members delivered postcards and local ordinances in support of the PRO Act to the Senator’s office.

The North Florida Central Labor Council hosted a rally and press conference outside of Senator Rubio’s Jacksonville office.

You can join us in sending a message to Senators Rubio and Scott by signing the petition here and calling our senators by clicking here.

Below you will find our Pass/Fail overview of the major legislative issues for Florida’s working families that we have tracked throughout the 2021 Legislative Session. You can also download the overview here.

Stay tuned for our final Legislative Update video.

The 2021 Legislative Session has reached its final level, but Florida’s digital defenders will continue the fight for Florida’s working people! Find out more in this edition of the Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Update: Game Over!

Deleterious data attempts to damage our democracy! Find out more in Week 8 of the 2021 Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Update: Crisis In Cyberspace!

Our constitutional rights are at risk of a hostile takeover! Working Floridians are fighting back against the dastardly damaged data attempting to derezz Florida’s democracy. Find out more in this edition of the Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Update Week 7: Digital Devastation!

Session continues, and the Florida Legislature has gone haywire! Find out more in this edition of the Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Update: Future Shock!

In this time of crisis, Florida’s Legislature is responding by jamming through legislation that would eliminate the rights of Florida’s public frontline workers to advocate for their families and communities.

Senate Bill 1014, Employee Organizations, was originally focused on Florida’s educators of their constitutional right to join and remain in their union to advocate for our students and schools. An upcoming amendment on the bill now targets all of Florida’s public sector workers.

Our educators, state workers, municipal employees, health care workers, and others have gone above and beyond to serve their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill is a slap in the face after all they’ve risked keeping our state running.

Here in Florida, workers have the freedom to choose whether or not they join a union. Senate Bill 1014 is government overreach that would unnecessarily insert the government into that decision and attempt to tip the scales against state workers’ right to collectively bargain.

SB 1014, and its upcoming amendment, would make it impossible for workers to choose to have their union dues deducted from their paychecks, force the inclusion of language discouraging workers from joining a union on membership forms, and require our public-sector unions to prove that they represent over half of their bargaining unit, a direct assault on their Right to Work.

This bill is one of the most blatant attempts to disempower workers and eliminate their basic rights in recent history. Click here to call your senator and tell them to vote NO on SB 1014.

From the first committee weeks, through Sine Die, the end of every Legislative Session, Working Families Lobby Corps activists stand up for Florida’s working people. In order to ensure the safety of the working people involved in the Working Families Lobby Corps, this year, the program will be held virtually. The Florida AFL-CIO office and building will remain closed until further notice. All activities will be virtual.

While the fight for Florida’s workers may look a little different this year, we will continue to make our voices heard. This year our army of digital activists will continue to meet with their representatives, learn the ins and outs of “politics as usual” in Tallahassee, and be a part of Florida’s democratic process, all while remaining safe and socially distanced. 

 Members of this year’s Working Families Lobby Corps will be a part of: 

• Regular remote briefings on legislation and session. 

• Virtual meetings between participants and legislators.

• Committee viewing and, if possible, virtual testimony.

• Virtual phone banks to alert members of critical issues and legislative processes.

• Letter writing campaigns.

• Safe, in-district activities such as car caravans and virtual delegation meetings.

Join us as we strive for a democracy that’s “for the people, by the people.” The Working Families Lobby Corp has long been the premier civic program for Florida’s working people. Join us as we continue our mission online. Contact your local Field Representative below to sign up and get involved! 

Broward AFL-CIO: Dana Shumate – 954-804-0533, DShumate@flaflcio.org

Central Florida AFL-CIO: Billy Lawson – 407-257-6081, wlawson@flaflcio.org

North Florida Central Labor Council: Yennifer Mateo – 386-299-7719, ymateo@flaflcio.org 

North Central Florida CLC: Jeremiah Tattersall – 352-222-1991, jtattersall@flaflcio.org

Northwest Florida Federation of Labor, including Big Bend & Panama City Chapters: Danielle Thomas: 850-320-0884, dthomas@flaflcio.org

Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO: Ted Parsons – 561-324-6636, tparsons@flaflcio.org

South Florida AFL-CIO: David Beltran – 305-215-7070, dbeltran@flaflcio.org

Southwest Florida Labor Chapter: Laura Griffin – 239-823-4743, lgriffin@flaflcio.org

Space Coast AFL-CIO: Karen Houston – 321-506-5867, khouston@flaflcio.org 

Volusia-Flagler AFL-CIO: Yennifer Mateo – 386-299-7719, ymateo@flaflcio.org 

West Central Florida Labor Council: Kyle Gawroriski – 850-228-9831, kgawroriski@flaflcio.org 

Reconsideration threat underway, don’t let the senate take this victory away!

Senate Bill 220 has been substituted by House Bill 997, legislation that has already passed the Florida House. House Bill 997 is the House companion to SB 220.

Florida has one of the most transparent state governments in the nation thanks to our sunshine laws. Unfortunately, legislation currently in the Florida Senate, House Bill 997, would limit citizens’ access to our state government. House Bill 997, Public Records and Public Meetings would hide the presidential search process for Florida’s universities and colleges.

Florida’s university and college presidents are some of the most powerful unelected public officials in our state, controlling billions of dollars through college and university budgets. As it stands, the selection process is completely open to the public, giving local communities and Florida’s citizens a voice in the selection of these powerful figures. House Bill 997 would hide the information of presidential candidates until the final phase of the process. The citizens of Florida have a right to know who the applicants for these incredibly influential positions are and have a right to have a say in the process.

Florida’s higher education system has been ranked as the best in the nation, all while having the selection process accessible to the public. This bill would needlessly block vital information from the people of Florida. This will only help the powerful and well connected and will invite political cronyism and corruption into our higher education system. Call your senator and tell them to vote NO on House Bill 997.

Florida’s Legislature kicked off the Legislative Session with attacks on frontline workers’ rights and safety on the job, attempts to stifle Floridians’ voice in our democracy, and more.

Digital activists with the Virtual Working Families Lobby Corps fought back against these hacks on Florida’s mainframe and will continue the fight throughout the rest of the session. Find out more in this edition of the 2021 Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Update!