Join Us in Getting Out the Vote with the Georgia AFL-CIO

Georgia’s Senate runoff elections are a critical chance to elect leaders who will stand for working people nationwide. 

Join the Florida AFL-CIO as we work to get out the vote ahead of the runoff elections. Members, staff, and volunteers with the Florida AFL-CIO are dedicating time to reach out to our Union sisters and brothers in Georgia to ensure that they make their voices heard. 

This Senate election has huge consequences for America’s working people. If elected, Georgia AFL-CIO endorsed candidates Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff will fight for America’s working families. Click here to sign up to phone bank. After you have signed up, the Florida AFL-CIO will reach out to you and help get you set up. 

This election has consequences for all of us. Sign up to phone bank today!

Be a Part of the Solution: Volunteer with the Florida AFL-CIO

Election day is just weeks away, and we have the opportunity to elect candidates that will put the working people of Florida first. Across the state, Central Labor Councils are hosting digital phone banks as well as other volunteer opportunities. This is your opportunity to make your voice heard and get out the vote!

Here in Florida the stakes are high. After years of attacks on the rights of working people and failures of leadership at the national and state level, this election gives us the opportunity to stand up for the working families of the Sunshine State. The current economic and public health crises show us that elections have consequences.

Union members across the state are volunteering their time to get out the vote, will you join them?

To sign up, click your local CLC and fill out your information. A Field Representative will contact you and help you get set up.

South Florida AFL-CIO

Broward County AFL-CIO 

Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO 

Southwest Florida Labor Chapter

West Central Florida Labor Council

Central Florida AFL-CIO

North Central Florida Central Labor Council 

Volusia/Flagler AFL-CIO 

Space Coast AFL-CIO

North Florida Central Labor Council 

Northwest Florida Federation of Labor

Make sure you’re ready to vote! Visit www.workersfirstvoteunion.com to check your registration and learn more about the 2020 elections. 

2020 Florida AFL-CIO Candidate Endorsements

Thank you to the over 300 delegates who made their voices heard as part of our 2020 Committee On Political Education Endorsing Convention. Below you will find the candidates endorsed by the Florida AFL-CIO in the 2020 elections as well as the Florida AFL-CIO’s positions on the proposed 2020 constitutional amendments.

2020 Election 
Endorsements 

President

Joe Biden for President
Senator Kamala Harris for Vice President

Endorsements By Central Labor Councils

Northwest Florida

CD 1: Phil Ehr
SD 3: Loranne Ausley
HD 9: Allison Tant

North Florida

CD 4: Donna Deegan
CD 5: Al Lawson
HD 11: Joshua Hicks
HD 13: Tracie Davis
HD 14: Angela Nixon

HD 15: Tammyette Thomas
HD 16: Ben Marcus
HD 17: David Michael Rogers
HD 18: Leroy Edwards

North Central Florida

HD 21: Kayser Enneking

Volusia-Flagler

HD 27: Dolores Guzman

Central Florida

CD 9: Darren Soto
CD 10: Val Demings
SD 9: Patricia Sigman
SD 11: Randolph Bracy
SD 13: Linda Stewart
SD 15:Victor Torres

HD 28: Pasha Baker
HD 29: Tracey Kagan
HD 30: Joy Goff-Marcil
HD 42: Barbara Cady
HD 44: Geraldine F. Thompson
HD 45: Kamia Latasha Brown
HD 46: Travis McCurdy
HD 47: Anna V. Eskamani
HD 49: Carlos Guillermo Smith

Space Coast

HD 51: Joan Majid
HD 53: Phil Moore

West Central Florida

CD 13: Charlie Crist
CD 14: Kathy Castor
CD 16: Margaret Good
SD 19: Darryl Rouson
HD 59: Andrew Learned
HD 61: Dianne Hart
HD 63: Fentrice Driskell
HD 64: Jessica Harrington
HD 68: Benjamin Diamond
HD 69: Jennifer Webb
HD 70: Michele Rayner

Palm Beach-Treasure Coast

CD 21: Lois Frankel
SD 25: Corinna Balderramos Robinson*
SD 29: Tina Polsky
SD 31: Lori Berman
HD 81: Kelly Skidmore
HD 83: Edgar “E.J.” Bernier
HD 84: Delores Hogan Johnson

HD 85: Jim Carroll*
HD 86: Matt Willhite
HD 87: David Ryan Silvers
HD 88: Omari Hardy
HD 89: James Bonfiglio
HD 90: Joe Casello
HD 91: Emily Slosberg

*Limited Endorsement-Palm Card Only

Broward County

CD 20: Alcee Hastings
CD 22: Ted Deutch
CD 23: Debbie Wasserman Schultz
SD 33: Perry Thurston
HD 92: Patricia Hawkins-Williams
HD 94: Bobby DuBose
HD 96: Christine Maria Hunschofsky
HD 97: Dan Daley
HD 98: Michael Gottlieb
HD 99: Evan Boyd Jenne
HD 104: Robin Bartleman

South Florida

CD 24: Frederica Wilson
CD 25: Mario Diaz-Balart
CD 26: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
CD 27: Donna Shalala
SD 35: Shevrin Jones
SD 37: Jose Javier Rodriguez
SD 39: Javier Fernandez
HD 100: Joesph Geller
HD 103: Cindy Polo
HD 106: Sara McFadden
HD 108: Dotie Joseph
HD 112: Nicholas Duran
HD 115: Vance Aloupis
HD 117: Kevin Chambliss
HD 118: Anthony Rodriguez
HD 119: Juan Fernandez-Barquin

2020 Proposed Constitutional
Amendment Positions

Amendment 2: Raising Florida’s Minimum Wage
SUPPORT

Amendment 3: All Voters Vote in Primary
Elections for State Legislature, Governor,
and Cabinet
OPPOSE

Amendment 4: Voter Approval of Constitutional Amendments
OPPOSE

Amendment 5: Limitation on Homestead
Assessments
OPPOSE

Stand Up For Our Rights: Sign Up as an Election Protection Volunteer!

This election year, it’s imperative that every vote is counted, and voters are able to make their voice heard in a safe manner. That’s why the Florida AFL-CIO is working with Protect the Vote, a non-partisan organization that’s working to make sure that all eligible voters are able to exercise that right free of any false information, intimidation, or unnecessary obstacles.

We are asking interested members to sign up as non-partisan Election Protection volunteers. Volunteering can be done in multiple ways, including observing your local polling location, watching social media to help fight back against misinformation, reaching out to voters to make sure they know their rights, and assisting voters who have faced issues casting their ballots. There are many ways to help, and all are appreciated.

Click here to sign up to stand up for Florida’s voters. After you sign up, Protect the Vote will contact you about the best way to volunteer.

Voting is one of our most fundamental rights as Americans. Sign up today as a non-partisan Election Protection volunteer to help protect that right. 

Tell the Senate: Pass the HEROES Act!

America is facing an unprecedented economic and public health crisis. Unfortunately, leadership in Washington have taken their time on the HEROES Act, the next economic relief package.

The HEROES Act passed the U.S. House two months ago. Since then it hasn’t been brought to the Senate floor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell even sent the Senate home for vacation.

While our Senators took a break, COVID-19 cases skyrocketed and the economy continued to sink.

The benefits and economic well-being of millions of Americans hang in the balance as the Senate finally begins to hear the HEROES Act, with the current federal unemployment benefits supplement ending at the end of July.

The HEROES Act would continue Federal support for the unemployed, fund our schools and public services, ensure workplace safety, keep Americans insured and invest in rebuilding America’s infrastructure.

After months of no clear action from our government in fighting COVID-19, the situation has only gotten worse. The HEROES Act is a step in the right direction for America.

Click here to call your Senator and tell them to pass the HEROES Act.

Workers First Caravan: Working Floridians Rally for Economic and Racial Justice

Wednesday, June 17th, working people and the Organized Labor movement took a stand to continue the fight for economic and racial justice across the nation. Here in Florida, Central Labor Councils, local unions and working people sent a message to put Workers First across the state, leading car caravans and rallying to hold our elected officials accountable.

Events were held in all corners of the state, from South Florida to Tallahassee. The caravans focused on the AFL-CIO’s Five Economic Essentials, demands that will help keep workers safe and help America come out of this pandemic even stronger. You can read about the Five Economic Essentials here.

Working people also rallied to protect our Postal Service from the big money interests attempting to privatize it, as well as calling for racial justice in the U.S. and combating the systematic racism that communities of color experience on the job and in our society.

The Southwest Florida Chapter rallied to save the U.S. Postal Service in Cape Coral, you can read about their event here.

In South Florida, the South Florida AFL-CIO, Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO, and the Broward County AFL-CIO saw incredible turn out at their events. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has more.

Working people in the Tallahassee area rallied around our State Capitol to send a message to our elected officials that this moment calls for real change. WFSU has more here.

In Gainesville, the North Central Florida Labor Council joined in on the action to tell Rep. Yoho to put workers first and to support the HEROES Act. WJCB has more. Volusia-Flagler called on Rep. Waltz in DeLand to make the right choice for working people. Daytona News-Journal has more on the story. The West Central Florida Labor Council rallied in Sarasota at the office of Rep. Vern Buchanan, while the North Florida Central Labor Council and the Space Coast AFL-CIO rallied to save our vital Postal Service.

The Central Florida AFL-CIO caravaned through downtown Orlando in order to raise awareness for the cause, WESH 2 has more on the story. Members took some excellent drone video to show the full scope of the event, which you can watch here.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the critical need for economic and racial justice in these turbulent times. Solidarity!

Labor Counts: 2020 U.S. Census



Join the Florida AFL-CIO in ensuring every Labor household counts, make sure you’re counted in the 2020 census. Census information is incredibly important for the allocation of over 1.5 trillion dollars in federal, state, and local programs and services. This data also plays a crucial part in deciding political power and representation in Congress.

Due to the COVID-19 panic, the U.S. Census Bureau has extended the period you can self respond until October 31st of this year. Responding to the census is one of the quickest, easiest and most important things you can do.

Ways to be counted

By Mail

If you have received your paper questionnaire from the U.S. Census Bureau, simply fill out the questionnaire and return it in the enclosed envelope. Make sure the outer envelope’s return address is from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For more information on completing the census by mail, click here.

Online:

Completing the census online has never been easier, visit mycensus2020.org and follow the instructions to be counted!

Click here to find out more about completing your census online.

By phone:

You can also complete the questionnaire by phone.

Call 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish.

Why it matters

Standing up and being counted helps our democracy function. Federal programs use this information to allocate resources for everything from education to hospitals and your representation in government. In times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic or hurricanes, this information helps emergency management and first responders make critical decisions.

Make sure you count, complete your census today!

🚨LEG ALERT: SB 7096 in the Appropriations Subcommittee Tuesday, April 9th

On Tuesday, April 9th, SB 7096 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development. This bill is currently moving forward in both the Senate and the House and we need to take every opportunity available to tell our Senators to VOTE NO on this Anti-Voter Initiative Bill.

If your Senator is listed below, they sit on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, and will be voting on this legislation next Tuesday, April 9th. This might be your final opportunity to act before it goes to a full Senate vote, so call their office and urge them to stand up for YOUR Constitutional Rights by voting NO on SB 7096.

Travis Hutson (850) 487-5007
Perry Thurston, Jr (850) 487-5033
Jeff Brandes (850) 487-5024
Tom Lee (850) 487-5020
Keith Perry (850) 487-5008
Wilton Simpson (850) 487-5010
Annette Taddeo (850) 487-5040
Victor Torres, Jr (850) 487-5015

This Bill will make the already burdensome process of having an initiative placed on the ballot nearly impossible. Of the states which allow for a citizen’s initiative, Florida already has the most difficult requirements to place an item on the ballot and have it pass once there.

Phone calls to offices are great, but there are other options to contact your representatives if they do not sit on the committee that will take this crucial vote on Tuesday.

CLICK HEREto sign the petition urging your Legislators to VOTE NO on this voice-stealing legislation.

CLICK HERE for a list of Legislators and their Twitter handles. Tweet your Senators and Representatives to let them know they need to oppose this anti-voter legislation with the hashtag #FLVoterVoice.

Tell the members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development NOT to eliminate YOUR Constitutional Rights and vote NO on SB 7096:

  • This bill would limit free speech by only allowing Florida citizens to collect signatures
  • Volunteers must register with the state to collect petitions, meaning they must register to exercise their first amendment rights
  • If a petition collector is ruled ineligible the signatures of the voters who signed the petitions will be ruled invalid without their knowledge
  • This bill could let the government place unfair and biased language on the ballot for initiatives they don’t support

Supporters of the proposed changes claim the bill addresses current issues with the citizen initiative process. These pretenses show their true motive is to eliminate the citizen initiative process, not protect our voting process:

  • Fraud is statistically nonexistent in the initiative process, and it
    is disingenuous to use it as reasoning to further erode our constitutional rights
  • The amount of amendments passed by the Legislature, CRC and TBRC outnumber citizen initiatives 3-1, meaning citizen initiatives do not overburden the process
  • Some of the past citizen initiatives have led to rights restoration, homestead exemptions, increased minimum wage and tax exemptions. These are not frivolous amendments and represent the wishes of the citizens who worked to place them on the ballot and those who voted to enact them.

This is an important bill that could have lasting ramifications on the future of our democratic process and constitutional rights.

Call the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development and tell them NOT to further erode your Constitutional Rights by voting NO on SB 7096.

🎥 2019 Legislative Update Week 5

The battle for Florida’s future continued in week five of Legislative Session. The politicians have drawn the battle lines and Working Families Lobby Corps Activists were there to meet them head on. Hopefully for the future of Florida they will be able to stand up to the Legislature and special interests looking to bring certain apocalypse on the state.

🚨LEG ALERT: SB 7096 in the Judiciary Committee Monday, April 1st

On Monday, April 1st, SB 7096 will be heard at 4:00 p.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill continues a decade-long attempt to eliminate your ability to amend the State Constitution through ballot initiative.

If your Senator is listed below call their office Monday April 1st before 4:00 p.m. and urge them to stand up for YOUR Constitutional Rights by voting NO on SB 7096.

David Simmons (850) 487-5009
Jose Javier Rodriguez (850) 487-5037
Dennis Baxley (850) 487-5012
Audrey Gibson (850) 487-5006
Travis Hutson (850) 487-5007
Kelli Stargell (850) 487-5022

This Bill will make the already burdensome process of having an initiative placed on the ballot nearly impossible. Of the states which allow for a citizen’s initiative, Florida already has the most difficult requirements to place an item on the ballot and have it pass once there.

Tell the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee NOT to eliminate YOUR Constitutional Rights and vote NO on SB 7096:

  • This bill would limit free speech by only allowing Florida citizens to collect signatures
  • Volunteers must register with the state to collect petitions, meaning they must register to exercise their first amendment rights
  • If a petition collector is ruled ineligible the signatures of the voters who signed the petitions will be ruled invalid without their knowledge
  • The popular vote threshold to pass would increase to a 2/3 majority, not the 60% currently required

Supporters of the proposed changes claim the bill addresses current issues with the citizen initiative process. These pretenses show their true motive is to eliminate the citizen initiative process, not protect our voting process:

  • Fraud is statistically nonexistent in the initiative process, and it
    is disingenuous to use it as reasoning to further erode our constitutional rights
  • The amount of amendments passed by the Legislature, CRC and TBRC outnumber citizen initiatives 3-1, meaning citizen initiatives do not overburden the process
  • Some of the past citizen initiatives have led to rights restoration, homestead exemptions, increased minimum wage and tax exemptions. These are not frivolous amendments and represent the wishes of the citizens who worked to place them on the ballot and those who voted to enact them.

This is an important bill that could have lasting ramifications on the future of our democratic process and constitutional rights.

Call the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them NOT to further erode your Constitutional Rights by voting NO on SB 7096.