Count. Every. Vote.

As of this writing, the next President of the United State has not been announced but we do know that more people have voted in this election than any election in US history. That's HUGE! Until EVERY VOTE is counted, this election will not be decided. Politicians can say what they want but it's the will of the voters who declare the winner. AFSCME has always stood for fairness --- in the workplace and in politics. It's "We the People" that decide what's best for our country. In the midst of this chaos, we must stay calm and continue to stand up and fight for a better future for working families.

Here in Florida, AFSCME members and allies worked tirelessly to elect pro-worker candidates throughout the sunshine state. When the dust settles, we will have a lot to be proud of. In Miami, AFSCME endorsed labor friendly ally Daniella Levine Cava made history by becoming the first female Mayor in Miami-Dade County history. In addition, three of the four AFSCME endorsed candidates (Keon Hardemon, Eileen Higgens, and Kionne McGhee) were elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission. This is a huge win for our brothers and sisters in Miami-Dade.

Similarly, almost all AFSCME endorsed candidates won in the city of North Miami Beach (Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, and Mayor DeFillipo) and across the state in Hillsborough County (Gwen Myers, Harry Cohen, and Pat Kemp). These wins secure pro-worker majorities in these municipalities. 

One of the biggest statewide wins for working people in Florida is Amendment 2 which increases the state minimum wage from $8.56 to $15 by 2026. The Florida Policy Institute estimates that this will result in a wage increase for over 2.5 million Floridians, many of who have been recently deemed “essential workers” as the COVID-19 pandemic has spread. This will have a HUGE impact on people’s lives as we continue to deal with the economic fallout of this crisis.  

Although we took some lumps in the state legislature, we did see some solid wins. Shevrin Jones and Michele Rayner have made history by becoming the first Black LGBTQ people to win seats in the Florida Legislature. Senator-elect Jones is now the highest-ranking LGBTQ official in the legislature and Representative-elect Rayner is the first Black queer woman ever elected in the state. We're use to fighting for working people against tough odds in Florida --and winning. We will continue to do so. 

As we face a nation divided by politics, it’s high time working Americans unite and get to work to defeat this horrible virus. Together, we can rise to the occasion and get our country back on track. Thank you for everything you do each and every day to make Florida happen. Whether in the workplace or at the ballot box, AFSCME Florida is dedicated to making our voices heard. As Florida’s largest public service union, we will continue to fight for better lives for ALL our members, families, and communities.  We never quit.

In Solidarity, 

Vicki Hall, President

AFSCME Florida