Phone Bank for Brian Nathan for Senate, Legislative Session Updates

Here's What's Coming Up:



 

Tues. 1/20 at 5:30pm: Brian Nathan for State Senate Dist. 14 Phone Bank

Join us to call into State Senate District 14 as well call unregistered union members. We will notify them of their registration status and educate them about their union brother Brian Nathan's run for the vacant Senate District 14 seat. It will be a remote phone bank, so you may join from anywhere!
 

2026 Florida Legislative Session

Legislative session begins on Tuesday, January 13. We covered primary bills of concern in last week's edition. Below is a new bill attempting to hamper new union organizing:

Disincentivizing Voluntary Recognition/ Neutrality AgreementsSB 1236 (Massullo)

• This bill would require private corporations receiving economic development incentives to sign a form prohibiting the following:
  • Signing a neutrality agreement with a union. (i.e. an agreement that an employer will not interfere with union organizing, leaving it up to workers to decide and not use union-busting tactics.)
  • Granting voluntary recognition based of a count of a majority of signed union authorization cards, forcing workers to go through a second election with the NLRB.
  • Voluntarily disclosing an employee's contact information to a union.

For regular updates on legislative session, union members can join our weekly All Hands on Deck Zoom calls Monday at 6pm HERE. Additionally, Seeking Rents by Jason Garcia is a great podcast and newsletter covering the Florida Legislature. You can subscribe for free here: https://jasongarcia.substack.com/

The Working Families Lobby Corps (WFLC) remains the most powerful, organized and effective tool to protect ourselves and support our movement. That’s why we need you in the fight. Contact your local union about sending you to Tallahassee, then, click the flyer below to register!

Here's what you need to know this week:

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Shutters after 3-Year Strike

Last week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PG) ownership announced that it would be closing in May. This decision comes on the heels of the Supreme Court denying the company’s request to stay a U.S. 3rd Circuit Court order requiring the Post-Gazette to reinstate a contractual health care plan it had previously agreed to prior to illegally tearing it up in 2020.

Bargaining for a successor contract started in 2017. On October 18, 2022 workers went on strike. The entire time, PG spent millions on legal tactics to deny their workers' basic rights. “Instead of simply following the law, the owners chose to punish local journalists and the city of Pittsburgh,” said Andrew Goldstein, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh (TNG-CWA Local 38061). “Post-Gazette journalists have done award-winning work for decades and we’re going to pursue all options to make sure that Pittsburgh continues to have the caliber of journalism it deserves," per a statement from The NewsGuild.

The closure of the Post-Gazette is part of a larger trend of the disappearance of local media and a mistreatment of journalists.

Keep in Mind:

 

2/7: 15th Annual Cuban Club Bocce Ball Tournament

See the notice below from Patrick Manteiga with the Cuban Club:

The Cuban Club Foundation’s largest fundraising event is coming up. It's a fun event with a great group of participants and all the money benefits the restoration of the beautiful 108-year-old Cuban Club.

The 15th Annual Cuban Club Bocce Ball Tournament presented by Tampa Bay Rays/ Tampa Bay Rowdies and Ligori & Ligori is on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 9:30am to 2:30pm. Our silver sponsors are Swope Rodante/ Vanguard Attorneys and Shumaker.

A sponsorship level of $1000 includes a 4-person team, name on bocce ball signage and 4 additional wristbands for your guests entitling your group to free full bar, cigars and food plus VIP parking.

I will cook three hogs and a pot of boiled peanuts for the enjoyment of everyone and there will be plenty of additional food from Bernini's, Brocato's, Tony’s Ybor Catering and a host of other great restaurants. We will start the day with Mimosas and Bloody Marys. We will then open up the free full bar and pass out cigars compliments of Long Ash.

At last year's event, we had 40 teams. Currently several judges and elected officials are signed up to play. This year our teams include Tampa Bay Rays, Tucker Hall, TECO, The Port Authority, Hill Ward and Henderson, Shumaker, Tampa Bay Lightning, Robert Watkins and Co. and a host of others.

Please consider a higher level of sponsorship by becoming a gold sponsor for $5,000 which includes two 4-person teams with 16 additional wristbands, top billing on bocce ball signage and opportunities to use your tents, banners, or other promotional materials you have. You could also consider a silver sponsorship of $3,500 which includes two 4-person teams plus 8 additional wristbands for guests and your logo on our signage and advertising.

If you can’t send a team, we still greatly appreciate your donation. Please let me know if you can participate and if it would help you, I’ll send an invoice. A part of this donation is tax deductible as we are a 501(c)(3).

Make Check to:
Cuban Club Foundation Inc.
Mail to my office:
Cuban Club
c/o La Gaceta Newspaper
PO Box 5536
Tampa FL 33675
We would like all money in by 1/30/2026

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