Today the hardworking men and women represented by AFSCME at New College of Florida voted 100% unanimously in favor of recertifying their union with a nearly 75% turnout.
Over the past few weeks, the hardworking blue-collar employees of the University of Central Florida represented by AFSCME Local 3345 voted by mail for the recertification of their union.
Over the past few weeks, the hardworking public service unit of Duval County Public School employees represented by AFSCME voted by mail for the recertification of their union.
Public approval of labor unions is at its highest level in 17 years, with nearly two out of three Americans (65%) expressing support of unions, according to the latest Gallup poll.
AFSCME members Dawn Bundick of Alaska and Chris Woloscuk of Florida are veterans and public service employees – two facts that make them especially vulnerable as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the U.S. economy.
If Congress fails to provide at least $1 trillion in federal aid to struggling states, cities, towns and school districts, millions of state and local government workers could be shown the door as their employers struggle to cope with plummeting tax revenues.
On Monday June 29, AFSCME Local 199 was informed that the Clerk of Courts had a budget shortfall of more than $9 million dollars and that this shortfall would result in around 107 layoffs and furloughs for all of our 2,000 Clerk of Court employees in Miami-Dade County. On July 2nd, Local 199 held a Zoom meeting to discuss our options and put a plan of action in place to avert these changes and remind the County of the value of our dedicated employees.
President Brown laid out an emergency call to action for members to contact lawmakers both in Tallahassee and Miami-Dade County and Local 199 members came through big time. With an overwhelming number of calls and emails to County Commissioners, President Brown was able to work closely with Deputy Mayor Moon, County Clerk Harvey Ruvin, and Miami-Dade County lawmakers to make up the shortfall from other areas of the budget and avoid the lay offs and furloughs entirely.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and front-line public service workers from states experiencing surges in coronavirus cases to urge the Senate to approve at least $1 trillion in flexible aid to states, cities and towns.
AFSCME praised today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that extends protections under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to millions of LGBTQ workers.
In a statement, AFSCME President Lee Saunders said such protections are long overdue and represent an important step in the fight for equality and justice for all workers.
