The (Mini) Florida Labor Letter – Actions Abound! (Week of 7/31)

Daniel Diaz |

Welcome to another edition of the Florida AFL-CIO’s weekly Florida Labor Letter for the week of 7/29. This will be an abbreviated edition of our newsletter due to time constraints present this week, but we still wanted to bring you a roundup of the most pressing news and actions in Florida Labor. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

🍊Florida Labor News

A Season of Action Gets Underway, Tune into Mobilize!

In our regular newsletter, we love to avail you of the latest upcoming actions and more with our “On The Horizon” section, and that’s not going to change. However, as we look forward to Labor 2026 getting underway, we should expect the number of labor and election related events to increase greatly (and most likely beyond the amount we can fit in a newsletter,) which is why we wanted to remind you of the Florida AFL-CIO Mobilize Page!

No matter where you are and no matter the time of year, the FL AFL-CIO Mobilize will be your one stop shop to be able to see the latest active and upcoming events from not just our state federation, but all of our regional Central Labor Councils and partner organizations!

Over the next few months you can expect opportunities for everything from trainings and phone banks to door-knocking and canvassing. It won’t be just organizing work either; there will be plenty of upcoming events simply put together for solidarity and celebration too as we work towards a brighter Florida!

With several planned weeks of action, starting with Labor Day Week (Sept. 1-8), these events will be a key part of enacting the Labor 2026 program. Get excited and bookmark our Mobilize today. There are events taking place as soon as next week!

✊Solidarity Spotlight

Big Bend Labor Chapter Hosts Immigration Screening and Panel Discussion

Solidarity in the labor movement isn’t always about massive action and protest. Sometimes its simply about coming together as a community to spread awareness and grow!

This past Saturday, the Big Bend Labor Chapter co-hosted a screening of Without Shade, Without Rest at Cap City Video Lounge alongside Tallahassee Workers Assembly, Tallahassee Community Action Response Equipo (CARE), and Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance. The documentary highlights the dangerous working conditions faced by Florida’s outdoor workers, particularly immigrant farmworkers, and was followed by a panel discussion with local advocates on immigrant dignity, worker power, and the fight for stronger heat protections.

Events like these are fantastic ways to expand the breadth of our knowledge on the many issues that so many of us face, while also providing a welcoming sense of community for those interested in trying to elevate their voice. You can find out more about Without Shade, Without Rest at https://sixeyefilms.org/withoutshadewithoutrest

🗓️On the Horizon

Will you stand with us and help us keep building on the momentum of the labor movement? Visit https://dos.fl.gov/elections/for-voters/check-your-voter-status-and-polling-place/ to check your voter registration, access election information, and make a plan to vote! See below for important dates to note as we head towards primary season.

  • Statewide
    • Important Primary Election Dates!
      • Ahead of the general, Florida’s registered voters must first decide their candidates in the primaries.
        • NOTE: As a closed primary state, only registered partisans can vote in a party primary here in Florida.
        • NPAs should not count themselves down and out though, as they can participate in a number of races across the state involving primaries for non-partisan office such as school board officials and judges.
        • Every voter is encouraged to check with their local supervisor of elections to find out what races are happening near you to ensure you can make your voice heard.
      • Wherever you are on the aisle, you should know these important primary dates from the Division of Elections:
        • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to UOCAVA voters: July 4, 2026
        • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to domestic voters: July 9 – 16, 2026
        • Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: July 20, 2026
        • Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: August 6, 2026 <— You are HERE
        • Primary Early Voting (mandatory period): August 8 – 15, 2026
        • Primary Election Day: August 18, 2026
  • Digital
    • First Monday of every Month: FLARA Monthly Meetings
      • The Florida Alliance of Retired Americans (FLARA) invites any and all to attend their monthly zoom meetings. FLARA meets on the first Friday of every month at 10 AM EST, and features guest speakers and relevant information for retirees from national and state governments as well as important information on demonstrations, partner activities, etc.
      • Those interested in attending FLARA meetings should contact tammy@flara.org in order to get the monthly invitation.
  • Regional
    • Central Florida
      • Orlando
        • Wednesday, August 5th: Meet and Greet with David Jolly!
          • Join fellow union members and leaders for a private meet and greet with Florida AFL-CIO endorsed candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, David Jolly and Gwen Graham.
          • This event is space limited, and as such is invitation only, with advance registration required. You can RSVP on Mobilize at this link. The full location and building instructions will be provided via email after you RSVP.
    • South Florida
      • Hollywood
        • Saturday, August 29th: Broward County 2026 Labor Ball
          • South Florida siblings should mark their calendars for the arrival of the 2026 Labor Ball! Taking place in Hollywood Florida, join fellow union members and community leaders for a night of celebration, solidarity, and more!
          • This is a ticketed event, with dress code and registration required. You can register at this link or email browardaflcio@gmail.com for more information.

Remember, all of these events and more can be found on our FL AFL-CIO Mobilize! Click here to learn more!

🛠️Business Board

No matter who leads an election, one thing is for certain, elections cost money! Whether it’s paying for staff, travel, mail, or even the small things like balloons and stickers, campaigns of every kind rely on money to stay alive and succeed. That includes our Labor 2026 campaign!

If you are willing and able, please consider a donation to the COPE Action Fund. This fund is 100% dedicated towards executing member to member programming for Labor 2026. Every single dollar spent by this fund is used to turn out the votes of our workers, whether that be through the production of materials for your CLCs, educational information on the candidates running, voter registration initiatives for locals, and more.

Please click this link to make a contribution.

Every donation helps, no matter how large or small, Together, we win!

Let’s Get Medicaid Expansion On the 2028 Ballot!

Attendees of our COPE Convention may recall one of our signature workshops by the Florida Policy Institute’s Chief Strategy & Development Officer, Holly Bullard, on the important topic of Medicaid Expansion in Florida. Off of the positive reception to her workshop, we wanted to make sure that all of you knew about the important and growing fight to finally get it done in Florida.

Florida Decides Healthcare is leading a citizen-led ballot initiative to expand Medicaid and cover over one million Floridians who fall through the cracks: workers who earn too much for Medicaid but too little for private insurance. These are our siblings who show up every day and still can’t afford to see a doctor. With an unresponsive legislature, it’s time the voters forced action on the issue themselves. Since the legislature cracked down on citizens having a say in their own constitution last year, we’re hitting the ground early on this effort for 2028. Here’s how you can help:

Here’s the ask. It takes one minute:

  1. Request your petition at https://floridadecideshealthcare.org/aflcio/
  2. It arrives by mail. Sign it.
  3. Mail it back. That’s it.

Your signature moves Medicaid expansion one step closer to Florida voters, and one step closer to healthcare for a million of your fellow Floridians. In a state that seeks to silence its voters, every single signature counts, so feel free to share the link with your coworkers, family, neighbors, and union siblings statewide.

All Florida workers deserve affordable healthcare. This is how we show up and make it happen.

  • P.O.W.E.R Trainings and Pledge: Labor 2026 represents not just a statewide, but a national opportunity for change to build a better future for all of those in organized labor. To achieve victory, we’ll need as much help as we can get! Ahead of November, take the P.O.W.E.R pledge to:
    • Protect: Protecting the vote and ensuring every member can safely cast their ballot.
    • Organize: Organize new labor strongholds led by workers.
    • Win: Win crucial races that determine the future of workers’ rights.
    • Engage: Engage our baseline through authentic peer-to-peer contact.
    • Right Now: Mobilize Right Now. Action today creates victory tomorrow.

That concludes this week’s roundup! Thank you for reading and as always, In Solidarity!

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

Please email Daniel Diaz at ddiaz@flaflcio.org

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