News

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.

AFSCME Florida Statement on Recertification Win in Town of Surfside

More than 1,000 past and present Duval County Public Schools custodians will receive an estimated $200,000 in back pay and benefits after leaders with AFSCME Local 2941 (AFSCME Florida Council 79) took legal action. According to arbitrator Jeanne Charles, employees were being unfairly stripped of years, sometimes more than a decade, of seniority by a district contractor. She ruled on the side of AFSCME members saying that since the workers were continuously employed by the district’s contractor they should have retained seniority and benefits.

Tallahassee – AFSCME Florida Council 79 President and International Vice President Vicki Hall released the following statement today on the introduction of anti-worker legislation, SB256:  

AFSCME wholeheartedly supports the newly reintroduced Richard Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which would make it easier for workers in the private sector to form strong unions. 

General Election Day. Poll close at 7 PM. Election Day May 16, is an important day for Jacksonville. Polls suggest a close election for Mayor and other important seats.

 

Duval County Election Information >>

AFSCME Endorsements

The Jacksonville PEOPLE committee had a candidate screening and voted to endorse the following candidates:

Mayor: Donna Deegan

Understaffing of state and local government jobs has hit crisis levels.

AFSCME Florida’s state workers reached a tentative agreement with state management for a five percent across-the-board wage increase, which would be implemented July 1, 2023, with additional raises for positions considered hard to staff. “Our members came to the bargaining table to eloquently and passionately talk about the challenges of providing for their families, while being in the field delivering critical healthcare, emergency support and public safety services to the residents of our state,” said AFSCME Florida President Vicki Hall.

On Feb, 15, Molly Dureig, reports for Spectrum News, after listening in to the negotiating session: "Union members negotiating on behalf of Florida's state employees tentatively agreed Wednesday to a proposal from state management, which includes a 5% wage increase for all state workers, plus additional raises for “hard-to-hire” positions."

Several members of the negotiating committee are quoted.