Here's what you need to know this week:
Florida's pay for teachers and other education professionals is among the lowest in the nation, the infrastructure of schools around the state is crumbling, and the money that could be going to remedy some of these issues and many more is being siphoned out to for-profit charter schools that lack the accountability standards of traditional public schools.
Teachers and school employees, many of whom have had to take second or third jobs to make ends meet and support their families, have had enough. On Monday, they turned out in the THOUSANDS on the steps of Florida's Capitol to send a message to the elected officials that continue to perpetuate this crisis.
Speakers at the event included Florida Education Association (FEA) President Fedrick Ingram, FEA Vice President and Florida AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Spar, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten, Reverend Al Sharpton, and many more education professions, activists, and community allies.
Buses left from counties around the state to deliver activists to the event, and we'd like to thank everyone in our council who helped get the word out and attended. We're looking forward to carrying this energy through legislative session all the way to Election Day!
Here's what's coming up:
- On Wednesday (1/22), we'll be holding our bimonthly Quad County meeting. This meeting serves as an avenue for all union activists in Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, and Sumter Counties to get involved with the CLC. The meeting will take place from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Beef 'O' Brady's in Brooksville (7601 Horse Lake Rd). If you live in the area, come out and join us!
Keep in Mind:
Legislative session is here, and there are bills that have been drafted that will undermine the work we've done on a local level and threaten our very ability to exist as unions. We are still in need of more participation in the Working Families Lobby Corps (WFLC). Each legislative session, the Florida AFL-CIO's WFLC Program ensures that we fill the halls of the legislature to hold our elected officials accountable. Participants sign up for week-long increments in which they will travel to Tallahassee, receive training, and go on to the capitol where they let the voice of Florida's working families be heard. WFLC is one of the BEST ways to see how government works in the State of Florida, and hope all locals will send activists to participate. You can find the sign-up by clicking HERE.
PLEASE NOTE that all sign-ups are digital and that we are asking everyone to provide as much advance notice and detail as possible so we can adequately plan our efforts and food for attendees.
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
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