Here's what you need to know this week:
American families have long suffered the consequences of bad trade deals negotiated behind closed doors. We lived the failures of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) when we saw good union jobs shipped overseas. For over two decades we have demanded NAFTA be renegotiated, but a new multi-million dollar campaign led by the Chamber of Commerce and other industry leaders threaten to write vital worker protections out of the plan once again. Here's some of what's wrong with current new deal:
- There are more promises than concrete solutions, lacking the ability to ensure that working families will benefit.
- The deal lacks effective provisions to reduce outsourcing in such key sectors as autos, aerospace, processed meat and foods, and call centers.
- Some of the revised deal’s rules are even worse than the current NAFTA, including monopoly rights for pharmaceutical corporations that will keep drug prices sky high.
The AFL-CIO is demanding that congress not put the new NAFTA deal to a vote until it is fixed to ensure the security and prosperity of working families. That means an agreement that raises wages, created and secures jobs, protects our environment and safeguards our democracy.
We are urging everyone to call your representatives at 1-855-856-7545 and tell them: No vote until NAFTA is fixed!
Here's what's coming up:
- On Tuesday (4/23), the runoff for Tampa municipal elections will take place. As a reminder for our members and their families, our CLC has endorsed Jane Castor for Mayor and John Dingfelder for City Council District 3. We hope you'll make it out to vote if eligible, and we hope you'll Vote Union!
- On Thursday (4/25), our young worker chapter, Florida Future Labor Leaders of West Central Florida, will convene for their April General Meeting at 6PM at USEP (21322 Lake Patience Rd, Land O Lakes). This is the official voice for young workers (under age 40) in our Central Labor Council and in the Florida AFL-CIO, and we hope that you'll come out and join in the action! RSVP by CLICKING HERE.
Keep in Mind:
We only have a few weeks left in legislative session, but the fight for working families is far from over. We remind everyone to be on the lookout for action alerts and to make every effort to participate. Some of the biggest legislation moving forward now includes:
- SB 7096/ HB 7111: Significantly strips away the citizen's initiative process to get amendments on the ballot and makes the process so complicated with so many road blocks that it is essentially impossible to complete. This would effectively eliminate the only major form of direct democracy in Florida.
- SB 432/ HB 847: Eliminates any local legislative efforts involving conditions of employment. This is especially detrimental to wage theft provisions passed on a local level which allow employees to recover wages stolen from them by their employer.
- SB 7070/ HB 7075: This bill includes a MASSIVE expansion of the voucher system that takes public money away from public schools to give to charters, as well as an unfair bonus scheme for teacher compensation as opposed to fair salary increases across the board.
There are many bills that we have our eyes on, so don't hesitate to reach out. If you'd like to reach out to your state legislators, you can get the contact info by CLICKING HERE.