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.
Last year, the members of AFSCME Local 199 wanted to show that their commitment to a stronger Miami-Dade County didn’t stop when the work day ended. That is why they made giving back through community service and charitable contributions a topic of focus at every membership meeting.
It has taken us years to restore what we lost during the economic downturn and to then build on top of that for a stronger future.
One of the key pieces came in December when we turned out and ratified a tentative agreement with Miami-Dade County that guaranteed a 1% cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) in October of this year. If tax revenue estimates came in high enough that COLA increase stood to go up to 4%.
For almost two decades, Moby White has served his community as one of four crane operators with Miami-Dade County’s Public Works Department. From safely placing heavy equipment onto the tops of buildings to assisting fire and police personal as a first responder after a hurricane anywhere in the state, White never quits no matter where his job takes him.
Across the country, the protections that new hires can access from their union during their probationary period can be confusing. This too often allows anti-labor managers to tell new employees they shouldn’t, or even can’t, join the union or turn to them if something comes up.
Studies have shown that the limited availability of paid parental leave in the United States is a great injustice to millions of working women and men, a significant contributor to wage inequality and a detriment to the economic health of our country.
One had only been an AFSCME member for a month, another for about a year. A third had a year-and-a-half of public service under his belt. But all three members had one thing in common: a determination to join together to have the strongest possible voice for themselves and their co-workers in the workplace.
