News

AFSCME Florida Statement on Recertification Win in Town of Surfside

“John Passidomo was an accomplished attorney, a civic leader and guiding light to Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and their entire family.

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: This month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment – this time through Aug. 31.

Congratulations to the AFSCME Local 1184 Support Personnel of the Year winners:
Jesus Lopez, a head custodian at the English Center, an M-DCPS Adult Education Center

Wave after wave of COVID-19 cases have overwhelmed hospital systems across the country. This has placed a massive strain on staff as they have had to work extra shifts and longer hours to serve their communities while covering for co-workers who have gotten sick with COVID-19 or have even passed away from the virus.

One solution to staffing shortages has been to hire temporary, specialized staff that travel from place to place.

AFSCME members and working families are celebrating the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, whose life experience and extraordinary legal career make her uniquely attuned to the challenges working people face.

The Senate confirmed Jackson today by a vote of 53-47. President Joe Biden nominated her as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in February after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

A new Center for American Progress (CAP) report describes how state and local governments, having already shed critical public service jobs since the Great Recession, have lost 695,000 more since the onset of the pandemic.

Because the services these jobs deliver are critical to society’s functioning, state and local governments must invest in job creation.

Our right to vote means we have a voice in our communities, in our society and on issues that impact our work. As AFSCME Florida members, we will always work to raise awareness of the important issues impacting working families in every election — from local commissioner to governor and president. 

The American Rescue Plan, which AFSCME members helped make a reality and which President Joe Biden signed into law a year ago, provided $350 billion in funding to states, cities and towns.

James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat provides an analysis of the 2022 Legislative Session finding that Florida workers, Democrats feel left behind in legislative session's 'Year of the Parent' and that the 2022 Session culture wars left "little time for sick, students and workforce housing."

Call quoted AFSCME Local 1363 Jackson member Tarsha Laster and writes: