Holiday Social Recap, Starbucks Strike Expands to Florida, Solidarity Sunday Upcoming
Here's what you need to know this week:
Delegates: Vote by Friday on Brian Nathan for State Senate Dist. 14 Endorsement
Earlier today, delegates should have received a link via e-mail to vote on a recommendation for endorsement to the Florida AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education for Brian Nathan, candidate for State Senate District 14. The deadline to vote is Friday, December 5 at 11:59pm. If you are a delegate and did not receive such an email, please respond as soon as possible to ensure you have the opportunity cast your vote.
WCFLC Holiday Social
On Tuesday in lieu of our regularly scheduled CLC meeting, delegates, union activists, community supporters and elected officials gathered to celebrate the holidays. We were joined by worker-leaders in the AFA-CWA Delta flight attendant organizing campaign. We are proud to stand in solidarity with these workers struggling for a union at the only major non-union airline! Thanks to everyone who contributed to our holiday gift drive in partnership with Children's Home Society of Florida. Special thanks to WCFLC Secretary Lanette Edwards who coordinated the drive.
Below are photos from Tuesday's event.
CWA members and AFA-CWA flight attendants including some working at Delta.
WCFLC Secretary Lanette Edwards with all the gifts contributed by the attendees.
Shonda Jay, AFGE; Kimberly Overman, former Hillsborough Commissioner; and Naya Young, newly-elected Tampa City Councilwoman.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Henry Cohen and NAACP Hillsborough President Yvette Lewis
Starbucks Workers United Expands Strike
Baristas with Starbucks Workers United have been on an open-ended Unfair Labor Practice strike since November 13. They have tentative agreements with Starbucks on all articles except for wages and scheduling. Starbucks has refused to make a serious offer since their measly 1 percent offer a year ago.
Their CEO Brian Niccol makes 6,666 times the average worker pay. Even the business community is critical with Yahoo Finance writer Douglas McIntyre named Niccol "Worst CEO of 2025." Additionally, the Starbucks and New York City came to a $35 million agreement over the city's claims that the company denied workers stable schedules and arbitrarily slashed their hours.
SBWU started with strikes in 65 cities across the country, and have since expanded three times with more than 2,500 workers striking across 105 cities. This morning, workers in West Palm Beach, Fla. walked out after winning their NLRB election last week. They are the first Florida Starbucks to join this strike. There are still hundreds of union stores that have not yet joined, including four in the West Central Florida area.
SBWU is encouraging allies to respect their picket line by not shopping at any Starbucks stores for the duration of the strike, signing their "No Contract, No Coffee pledge, and deleting the Starbucks app from your phone. We will keep you apprised of any additional calls for solidarity.
Here's What's Coming Up:
Solidarity Sunday brought to you by WCFLC Florida Future Labor Leaders
All are welcome at the Florida Future Labor Leaders social! RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/flaflcio/event/865434/
Sign-Up for Working Families Lobby Corps
That's all for this week! Check out our website at wcflc.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates. If you'd like to receive this weekly via email, please subscribe here: bit.ly/WCFLC
In Solidarity,
West Central Florida Labor Council
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