Welcome to this week’s South Florida AFL-CIO E-Messenger, your guide to labor news in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties . Let’s dive in.
Here's what you need to know this week:
Transit workers in Miami-Dade are continuing to keep South Florida moving, despite an increasingly dangerous lack of protective supplies to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This week, members challenged the Miami-Dade Transit Director to the #RideNotDie Challenge, bringing attention to the shameful lack of face masks for drivers, social distancing enforcement and antibacterial products. While there has been a decrease in ridership, the county still saw a monthly ridership of 1.3 million. Transit workers are needlessly being put at risk. Please visit Ridenotdie.com to take the Alice Bravo #RideNotDie Challenge and stand with our Transit Workers as they demand adequate protective equipment and more comprehensive security protocol.
On Monday, April 27 UNITE HERE Local 355 held a food distribution where over 2,500 meals were distributed to 300 members. Food was donated by Presidente Supermarkets in partnership with Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas and United Way of Miami-Dade to address the nutritional needs of struggling families in Miami-Dade County, who have been impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak.
Please Donate to Help Miami Hospitality Workers Impacted by COVID-19 by visiting: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/unite-here-local-355
Students across Miami-Dade rely on our schools for meals each day, and food insecurity has grown worse during the COVID-19 crisis. Miami-Dade County Public Schools are providing free meals to students at 50 locations from 4 – 7PM Tuesdays & Fridays while school buildings are closed. Tell your students parents to check out the map at https://freeschoollunch.info to find a location near them
The United Teachers of Dade local is joining the state Florida Education Association in calling for student, parent, educator and medical professional representation on a task force charged with re-opening the schools. While school buildings will remain closed through June as students are engaged in distance learning, planning for re-opening school buildings will require hard decisions about class sizes, scheduling and safety practices.Further, teachers will be dealing with the impact of learning loss from students and a host of social and emotional to be anticipated.
That's why we are calling on Education Commissioner Corcoran to include public education staff, medical professionals and more diverse stakeholders to guide reopening of public schools, state colleges and universities. Ask the Commissioner to adopt FEA's proposal for a task force that includes of educators, students and health professionals to take on the very important task of working to reopen Florida's public schools.
Please sign the petition by visiting: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/we-need-an-education-task-force-comprised-of-educators
Endorsement Alert
The South Florida AFL-CIO is proud to announce that we've endorsed the following candidates:
Dr. Steve Gallon III , Miami-Dade County Public School Board District 1
Russ Rywell, Miami-Dade County Public School Board District 3
Mara Zapata, Miami-Dade County Public School Board District 5
Lubby Navarro, Miami-Dade County Public School Board District 7
Dr. Nancy Lawther, Miami-Dade County Public School Board District 9
#VoteUnion #Labor2020
In a press conference Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the state would begin a gradual reopening on Monday, May 4th. "Phase One" will see the reopening of state parks, the resumption of elective surgeries with safety restrictions and the reopening of restaurants and retail at 25% capacity while practicing social distancing. Bars, gyms and movie theaters will remain closed. Senior citizens and those with underlying medical issues are encouraged to stay home.
Proposed Miami-Dade County Paid Leave Ordinance - Chairwoman's Policy Council Meeting| Thursday, May 7th
The County’s proposed ordinance (seeks to establish paid sick, family and parental leave requirements for County service contractors (and their subcontractors) employing 15 or more employees through County contracts valued at over $100,000 per year for provision of the following covered services:
1) Food preparation, distribution or both;
2) Security services;
3) Routine or recurring maintenance services, ( custodial, cleaning, refuse removal, repair, refinishing, and recycling)
4)Clerical or other non-supervisory office work, whether temporary or permanent
5) Transportation an parking services including, but not limited to, airport and seaport services; 6) Printing and reproduction services;
7) Landscaping, lawn, or agricultural services.
Interested parties may:
Join a Zoom meeting to speak, where permissible, on item 2D by registering in advance of the meeting at https://miamidade.live/BCCPolicyCouncil;
Call in live by phone to speak, where permissible, on an item at (305) 375-5777;to avoid delays you may, if possible, call in and register in advance at https://miamidade.live/BCCPolicyCouncil;
That's all for this week! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates. If you would like to receive text message alerts from the Florida AFL-CIO (Msg & data rates may apply), text FLUNION to 235246! If you have any comments, or would like something added to the newsletter, please let us know!
In Solidarity ,
South Florida Labor Council