Welcome to the new edition of the Florida AFL-CIO’s weekly e-newsletter: The Florida Labor Letter! Building on the good work that went into our prior E-messenger program, we hope to use this newsletter to provide you a weekly roundup of the latest and greatest from the Florida labor community, as well as keep you engaged with the latest events, resources, and actions taking place from across the Sunshine State and nation at large! As another week of the 2026 Legislative Session concludes, what better time to start getting involved than now? Without further ado, let’s get into it!

🏛️Legislative Session: Week of 1/22

Rural Counties Day At The Capitol rounded out the end of the 2nd week of the 2026 Working Family Lobby Corp! Besides the sweets, sauces, and shellfish on display in the Capitol Complex, your siblings in Tallahassee were hard at work throughout the week as they met with lawmakers and advocated in Committee on a host of issues including but not limited to:

• The AI Bill of R​​ights (SB 482)
  • ​Heard in committee for the first time this week, this friendly bill offers much in the way of consumer data protections, child protections and safeguards, and more related to AI use both in public and private life. Our public testimony was highlighted by the Florida Phoenix for its support of the bill that also emphasized that among the threats AI poses, the rights of workers, their jobs, and intellectual property should not be forgotten. Read the full story here!​
• Loyalty Oaths for Teachers (SB 430)
  • ​This disastrous bill would see all teachers and administrative personnel in the PreK-20 system forced to subscribe to a new vaguely worded oath affirming support to not just the constitution, but the state as well. Designed to create another level of intimidation and chilling speech across Florida’s already understaffed and overworked teaching population, this ​​unfriendly bill​​ found itself without the support necessary to be taken up in committee, Temporarily Postponing (TPing) the bill until further notice.​ This represents a great job in terms of informing our elected representatives of the truth behind these bad bills. We don’t take a victory for granted though, and will keep monitoring this and other issues as the session rolls on!​​
• The Nail in the Coffin of Florida’s Unemployment Insurance System (SB 1126)​
  • Backed by billionaire private interests, this ​unfriendly bill​​ would see the state’s already broken unemployment system somehow even ​more​ so​. Florida’s unemployment system currently offers the lowest benefits, most difficult eligibility, and smallest benefit payments that run out fastest among any in the union. By adding new hurdles, impossible reporting requirements, and unreasonable job search mandates, this bill see’s those most in need of essential assistance given impossible distance from getting it. This week though, critical testimony by the members of the Working Family Lobby Corps was cited by multiple members of the committee​ as proof positive that the only thing this bill is hurting is not fraud or bad actors, but human beings trying to get by.
• Property Taxes (Part Two!) (HJR 203)
  • More ​unfriendly​ property tax bills were heard this week, including the re-appearance of HJR 203, which gradually eradicates all non-school related property taxes across Florida’s counties, stripping them of critical funding as Florida’s revenue and tax structure finds itself overly reliant on existing property and sales tax for income. Members of the Working Families Lobby Corps and more made clear: Whether through loss of essential services like after-school care and infrastructure or increased sales taxes to compensate, these measures cost Floridians far more than they will ever save.

Note: For an in-depth look at the impactful work and words put together by this week’s Working Family Lobby Corps, stay tuned to our social media and more for our Legislative Updates videos! ICYMI: Here is Week 1’s!​

🍊Florida Labor News

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Just this past Monday, union members, activists, and citizens alike across the nation at large honored the life and legacy of the great civil rights and labor activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Across the entire state, Florida’s working families were happy to be a part of the celebration. Here are some moments (courtesy our North Florida Central Labor Council) captured by our siblings in Jacksonville of the big day!

Each and every day, we hope to carry forward the legacy of Dr. King Jr. by doing what he did best: educating, organizing, and fighting for a better more equal future for us all. We are proud of and thankful for the many of you who have made and continue to make that mission possible.

​​​In Solidarity With Minnesota

As the people of Minnesota join forces today to stand in solidarity on their Day of Truth and Freedom, we want to emphasize our support for our siblings in the Minnesota AFL-CIO and Minnesotans at large who are fighting for the pursuit of justice, due process, and fair treatment under the law. ICYMI: See the official statement from Florida AFL-CIO President Kimberly Holdridge below:

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✊Solidarity Spotlight

AFGE Members Rally to Support Social Security Workers and Mission

Per ​WLRN:

“Social Security Administration workers and local seniors on Wednesday joined a national day of action in Broward County to demand that Congress address a mounting crisis of underfunding and staffing shortages at the federal agency that manages monthly payments and benefits to tens of millions of older Americans.”

​As congress rolls on towards its next funding deadline on ​January 30th, 2026​, Congressional members and agencies are negotiating avoid another partial government shutdown. We are proud of the proactive work being done by our siblings at AFGE Local 2014 and elsewhere in raising attention to the critical services and role that Social Security plays in the lives of so many working families. Read the full story of their efforts here, courtesy WLRN.​

​🗓️On the Horizon

• ​January 30th, 2026​ – Federal Government Funding Deadline
  • As we near the end of the month, congress must pass an appropriations bill to fund the rest of 2026 in order to avoid another lengthy and unnecessary government shutdown. Stay tuned for more news regarding this in the coming weeks as congressional action takes place!
• ​February 7th, 2026​ – Young Workers March on Washington!
  • The time to take action for the future is the present! This February, young workers from unions across the united states are meeting in Washington D.C to demand young workers are provided the same opportunities as their parents by raising our long out-dated Federal Minimum Wage, providing for more affordable housing, and more! Learn more about this day of action on the official website for Young Worker’s March!

🛠️Business Board

• FREE Trainings from the National AFL-CIO: The National AFL-CIO provides free virtual training sessions leaders and members of all of its State Federations, Area Labor Federations, CLCs and Affiliates. This list of training courses is updated regularly and covers a myriad of topics such as honing political skills, issue specific communications, and more. This page is updated regularly, so please visit and bookmark this link to stay informed and learn more about what is currently available to sign-up for in order to take your labor skills and knowledge to the next level!

• Minnesota Action Fund: As mentioned, we are amplifying efforts to support our brothers and sisters in the state of Minnesota as they deal with ongoing federal immigration efforts. Able and willing Floridians can help with emergency legal funds and mutual aid for union members detained and sent to other states. As many find themselves without resources to return home even after proving their status, contributions can be made here.

📸Bonus Bulletin

Happy Birthday Dr. Rich Templin!

Though he is not one to hunt for the spotlight, we would like to take this week’s bonus bulletin to highlight the birthday of the Florida AFL-CIO’s Director of Politics and Public Policy, Dr. Rich Templin!

All who have know or have met him in the Working Family Lobby Corps, FL AFL-CIO, and Florida Capitol at large know Rich to be a tireless advocate for working families and the labor movement of Florida and at large. Often found in public comment and in conversation with legislators, Rich is cited often by members of the legislature for his wit and the depth of knowledge that he brings to the political process when talking about Florida Labor’s most important issues. As an invaluable part of the FL AFL-CIO family, we thank him for all he has and continues to do on behalf of the good people of Florida. We were happy to celebrate his birthday this week with him as part of our Working Family Lobby Corps Social at Proof Brewing! Thank you Rich!

That wraps up our Labor Letter for the week! Stay tuned for next week’s issue as session rolls on!

In Solidarity!

Got any tips, actions, or messages you’d like to see in this email?

Please email Daniel Diaz at ddiaz@flaflcio.org