12/21/23 GRUA Board Update
Many of you have been following the new GRU Authority Board. We have been following it closely. The decisions being made will effect many of those working for both GRU and the City of Gainesville as well as the residents of Gainesville. Currently the board has proposed yet another cut to the GSC (formerly GFT). If the board is successful at making this cut it will have major impact on General Government jobs and services in addition to impacts on community services. The next meeting is January 3rd 2024 at 5:30 pm at the GRU Admin Building or you can stream here.
12/17/23 Alachua County Library District Climate Committee Update
The Ad Hoc Committee scheduled for Monday December 18 at 3:30pm has been cancelled after a motion by Governing Board Member Ken Cornel. No committee members were notified. Notice was sent out by Board member Mary Alford so members would not go to an empty meeting room.
We will be watching this closely. The issues effecting Library Staff resulting in the formation of this committee in the first place have not “blown over” as the Director and some of the Governing Board members would have hoped. We will update as we have more information.
10/01/2023 CWA Recertifies in August 2024
All but one CWA Local in Florida will file recertification paperwork in August 2024 with PERC. Local 3170 filed and was certified in August before the new law went into effect. Now we must have PERC Forms signed, all members using Self-pay dues & 60% of membership by August 2024.
5/25/2023 City of Gainesville City Commission Budget Workshop
This is an ongoing process, we will be participating and doing all we can to minimize the effects on rank & file CWA Positions.
Meeting FY24 Budget Workshop – https://pub-cityofgainesville.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=68321
Watch Meeting Live- https://www.gainesvillefl.gov/Government-Pages/Government/Departments/Communications-Department/Community-12TV/Live-Web-Streaming
5/10/23 – https://opportunityfl.org/2023/04/19/desantiss-next-disney-style-takeover-the-gainesville-regional-utility/ As you may know, this Bill HB 1645 did pass and a Governor appointed board will takeover control of OUR Utility. Many speculate that their intention is to privatize our PUBLIC Utility, which could wreak havoc on the City and the Employees who run it.
4/26/23 HB 1445 has passed the second reading on the House Floor and today is the 3rd and final vote before Big Government makes it law that 60% of eligible members join the union or the union is de-certified. And to top it off, union members will be responsible for signing up to pay their dues. On the House floor yesterday, Rep. Black (who has never been in a union by his own admission when asked by a colleague.) Rep. Black says this law is an amazing, it will strengthen unions, but in the same breath, Police, Fire & Corrections are exempt because it would cause a burden on them. So which is it?? Its good, or its a burden?? The truth of the matter, this is a union busting bill designed to destroy Public Sector Unions. Next year maybe it will be all unions. If you want to call Reps, click the links below. Union President Robert Arnold and Organizer Jenn Powell are both here in Tallahassee along with others, but our efforts are in vain when Union Busters have the super majority in both houses.
When we return, we WILL get our membership in all bargaining units up to 60%. No Union, No Contract.
4/17/23 HB 1445 to be heard on House floor this week. Please find your representative, and/or call or email EVERY representative and tell them to vote no. If this bill passes, we will need to get our membership to 60% and get us ready to start paying dues via self pay option that we will be posting and sending out as soon as possible. CWA National, amongst other Public Sector Unions in Florida will be filing lawsuits after this is signed, but we do not know how long that will take, or if it will be successful, so as of right now CWA Local 3170 is preparing for this to become law and preparing.
The GRU Takeover Bill filed by Rep. Chuck Clemons will also be heard in first committee this week, State Affairs Committee, tentatively on Wednesday April 19th. If you can call/email the members of that committee, please let them to vote no on this Bill, or we risk a Governor appointed board deciding the fate of our Utility and the fate of your jobs.
4/11/23 HB 1445 was heard in the final committee before it goes to the House Floor for a vote. See meeting here HB 1445 Starts at 1:13.
3/30/23
If you work for the City of Gainesville or GRU you have probably seen this email from the City Manager Cynthia Curry. If layoffs occur, the City/GRU will need to follow CWA Contract guidelines regarding layoffs you can read here for non-supervisory unit, and here for Supervisory unit.
3/29/23- PRESS RELEASE
Press Release- North Central Florida Central Labor Council
SB 256 Passes the senate and moves on to the House- HB 1445
Union President Robert Arnold was among demonstrators protesting SB 256 and even made the news! watch link here
Senate passed SB 256 that day. Now the House sister Bill HB 1445 starts making its way through committee. Read full Bill language here
3/16/23- Florida Senate Bill 256 passes Second Committee.
Tallahassee is trying to de-certify Public Sector Unions in Florida. This Bill will de-certify every union with membership under 60%. It will also prevent your union dues from being deducted from your paycheck even if we ARE certified. Watch the following videos and listen to the reasoning behind it.
Florida Senate Bill 256 passes second Committee, Fiscal Policy Meeting 3-16-23. To watch the meeting click here Bill 256 begins at 41:30
This page will be updated daily.
3/7/23- Florida Senate Bill 256 passes first Committee.
Florida Senate Bill 256 passes first Committee. despite over 100 union members showing up in opposition. (Read full Bill here)
To watch the meeting click here Bill 256 begins at 39:20
Why does this Bill matter? If it passes, Local 3170 will be decertified in July. Decertification means your contract will no longer exist. In years past, we have stopped similar legislation in committee. This year we may not be so lucky and judging by the outcome of this meeting we are in trouble.
What can you do to help? Please contact your elected officials, you can find your state Senators here. If you are able to attend a meeting in Tallahassee CWA National has funds to cover lost wages, travel & meals please contact Organizer Jenn Powell (352-215-2243, jpowellcwa170@gmail.com) if you would like your voice to be heard, we will be traveling to Tallahassee on committee days.
What do we do if it passes? It will be imperative that each bargaining unit’s membership stays above 60%. If you are a member, talk with your coworkers, if you are not yet a dues paying member, now is the time to join. Your very livelihood is now at stake.
Stay tuned for updates.
Joint CWA/ATU Union Town Hall with Mayor Harvey Ward
Join your coworkers to discuss the recent Joint Legislative Auditing Committee meeting that took place in Tallahasee on February 23rd to address the City of Gainesville’s current debt (see full meeting here) and what this means to CWA & ATU employees. This is your chance to be heard.
At the City Commission special meeting on February 27th the commission said EVERYTHING was on the table. (See full meeting here) . On March 2nd, the Commission meeting, they voted to roll back their increased salaries which is a start. Come to the Town Hall, have your voice heard and let the Mayor know, your jobs or benefits should not be on the table.
Town Hall will be held on March 15th at the Union Hall 2512 NW 6th Street, Doors open at 6:30pm (for food) meeting will begin at 7pm.
If you work for the City/GRU Please fill out the following Anonymous survey re: Budget Cut Feedback https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CWACityGRUBudgetFeedback