Alachua County Labor Coalition Explained

The Alachua County Labor Coalition (ACLC) is a nonprofit organization in Alachua County, Florida, that advocates for working people.[1] The organization was formerly known as the Alachua County Labor Party and traces its roots to the national Labor Party's call in 1996 for a new political party as a reaction to the conservative, neoliberal New Democrat movement.[2] [3]

The ACLC has played a significant role in political campaigns in North Florida. As of September 2022, the co-chairs of the ACLC Executive Committee are Melissa Hawthorne and Jenn Powell.

Living wage campaign

Since 2015, the ACLC has campaigned for the largest North Florida employers to pay living wages.[4] [5] [6] Florida state law bars municipalities from enforcing local minimum wage laws[7] but, using neo-Alinsky tactics and capitalizing on the national Fight for $15 movement, the ACLC pressured Alachua County and the City of Gainesville to adopt ordinances requiring their employees and contractors to be paid a living wage.[8] [9] [10] [11] When the county ordinance was adopted in 2015, organized labor called it the "strongest and most comprehensive living wage ordinance of its kind in the state.[12] By 2018, the University of Florida, the Alachua County School Board, and Santa Fe College—each among the largest employers in the region—increased their employees' wages toward the living wage.[13] [14]

Campaign for temp workers at the University of Florida

In 2017, the ACLC began a campaign to pressure the University of Florida to decrease its reliance on "Other Personnel Services" (OPS) positions---a job classification that is not provided any traditional fringe benefits like paid leave, health insurance, or retirement benefits.[15] [16] [17] The OPS classification was created for temporary part-time workers, but the ACLC found that the university was often using the OPS classification for full-time employees and that some employees were kept in OPS status for years. In 2018, the university announced that it would stop using the OPS classification for non-temporary jobs.

Renters rights campaign

Between 2018 and 2021, the ACLC led a renters rights campaign in Alachua County that led to the adoption of an ordinance that outlawed various forms of rental discrimination, mandated safety standards, and made new energy efficacy requirements for most rental units in the City of Gainesville.[18] [19] [20] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACLC began supporting tenants facing eviction.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Us – Alachua County Labor Coalition . 2021-05-19 . en-US.
  2. Sweeney . Sean . The Labor Party's: Alternative Politics . 2021-05-19 . New Labor Forum . 1 . 1997 . 43–49 . 40342164 .
  3. Web site: Hood. Chad. Spring 2019 . 13. 100 C-100 Members. Alachua County Labor Coalition Newsletter.
  4. Web site: 2016-01-25 . Fernandez . Alexandra . Alachua County Labor Coalition Wants Top 10 Employers Paying Higher Wages . 2021-05-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  5. Web site: Cardona . Laura . 2015-11-11 . Gainesville Workers Rally To Raise Minimum Wage . 2021-05-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  6. Web site: 2017-09-03 . Caplan . Andrew . Labor coalition calls on Santa Fe to increase wages . 2021-05-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  7. Web site: 2018-09-13 . City Of Miami Beach Asks Justices To Move Quickly On Minimum Wage Case . 2021-05-19 . WLRN.,
  8. News: Baitinger . Brooke . 2015-11-20 . Alachua County Labor Coalition campaigns for higher wages. Alligator . 2021-05-19.
  9. News: Curry . Christopher . 2015-11-10 . Carrying signs and chanting, group pushes for minimum-wage hike . Gainesville Sun . 2021-05-19.
  10. News: Cardona . Laura . 2015-11-10 . Gainesville Workers Rally To Raise Minimum Wage. WUFT . 2021-05-19.
  11. News: Warren . April . 2016-01-15 . Labor group urging Gainesville to boost wages. Gainesville Sun . 2021-05-19.
  12. News: Wilson . Jenny . 2016-04-13 . Alachua County closes loophole in minimum wage ordinance . Gainesville Sun . 2021-05-19.
  13. Web site: Caplan . Andrew . 2017-09-03 . Labor coalition calls on Santa Fe to increase wages. 2021-05-19 . The Gainesville Sun . The coalition in 2015 launched its living wage campaign to increase wages for Alachua County’s 10 top employers, which includes SFC. Since then, the University of Florida, city of Gainesville, Alachua County and school district have increased wages..
  14. Web site: Strange . Deborah . 2018-06-19 . Santa Fe College raises minimum wage . 2018-06-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  15. Web site: 2017-10-07 . Dispute brews over UF's pay for part-time, temp workers . 2018-06-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  16. Web site: 2018-07-29 . Groups protest treatment of OPS workers at UF . 2018-06-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  17. Web site: Gupta . Deeva . 2018-06-19 . Work in Progress . 2018-06-19 . The Gainesville Sun.
  18. Web site: Gomez. Alana. 2018-11-21. New Lease on Rights. 2021-05-21. The Fine Print. en-US.
  19. Web site: 2018-05-19. Rental housing discussion planned May 29. 2021-05-21. Gainesville Sun. en.
  20. Web site: Medders. Charlene. 2021-04-26. City of Gainesville Adopts New Rental Ordinance, Takes Effect in October. 2021-05-21. WUFT News. en-US.
  21. Web site: Mallard. Aida. 2021-02-17. Network helps during eviction crisis. 2021-05-21. Gainesville Sun. en-US.

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