Here's what you need to know this week:
We screened candidates for Lakeland City Commission last week, and we're happy to announce that we have new endorsements! At our CLC meeting on Tuesday, we finalized endorsements in two Lakeland races and one additional City Council race in St Petersburg. We hope that you'll get out to vote on November 5th if you're eligible, and we hope you'll VOTE UNION! Here's our complete list of endorsements:
- St Pete City Council District 1: Robert Blackmon
- St Pete City Council District 5: Deborah Figgs-Sanders
- St Pete City Council District 7: Lisa Wheeler-Bowman
- Lakeland City Commission At-Large Seat 2: Carole Philipson
- Lakeland City Commission Northeast Seat: Jiwa Farrell
Here's what's coming up:
- Mark your calendars for the Manasota meeting. This meeting will take place on October 14th at 6:30 PM at Perkins Restaurant (5921 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota), and it serves as an avenue for all union activists in Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties to get involved with the CLC. If you live in the area, come out and join us!
Keep in Mind:
GM workers are still on strike! Workers are standing up for:
- Fair Wages
- Affordable Quality Health Care
- Their Share of Profits
- Job Security
- A Defined Path to Permanent Seniority for Temps
While it's good that the company has announced they will reinstate health insurance benefits for striking workers, they are still refusing to budge on a clear path to full-time status for temp employees. This, among other demands is why the UAW rejected the latest offer, and why the strike will continue into its third week. Keep an eye out for any opportunities for assistance or more information on the strike!
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!
In Solidarity,
West Central Florida Labor Council
If you have any comments, or would like something added to the newsletter, please let us know!