News & Public Affairs
Immigration reform targeted during Ybor City May Day celebration listen
05/02/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: immigration, AFL-CIO, May Day, International Workers' Day
Immigration reform could become a reality now that some United States Senators have suggested ideas that would provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people. Activists made that their focus Wednesday during a May Day protest in Ybor City’s Centennial Park. The ACLU of Florida’s Paola Everett said the legislation is a start, but more needs to be done.
Be the first to comment"We really need to make sure that this immigration reform includes fair access to education. That it allows people to go back to ...
Labor activists want local control over wage theft ordinances, ask state to stay out of it listen
04/10/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Aaron Carmella, AFL-CIO, labor, worker's rights, Florida Senate, Florida House of Representatives, Kevin Beckner, 2013 legislative session
Labor activists are protesting two bills working their way through Tallahassee they fear would hurt workers. The protest in front of the County Center in downtown Tuesday Tampa was led by AFL-CIO regional coordinator Aaron Carmella who said the so-called “wage theft” bills would rob local governments of their abilities to protect workers from unfair employers.
Be the first to comment“They say that they’re trying to streamline a process to keep it the same across the state, but basically what they’re doing is t...
Activists use political theater to warn about 'Romney's America' and sign a Second Bill of Rights listen
08/30/12 Liz McKibbonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: RNC, Republican National Convention, AFL-CIO, John Carr, Florida voter purge, Mitt Romney, USPS
During some speeches at the Republican convention unions have been a punching bag. In contrast, yesterday labor rights groups in Tampa used theater to demonstrate what the workforce might look like if Mitt Romney is elected as president. Protesters signed what they call America’s Second Bill of Rights.
Two to three hundred protesters rumbled through the sanctioned parade route in downtown Tampa, shouting ‘Stand up, fight back.’ Protestors held signs. One ...
1 commentsWMNF's Live Call-in Coverage of the RNC
08/27/12 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Monday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: West Central Florida Federation of Labor, Cheryl Schroeder, Aaron Carmella, AFL-CIO, RNC
Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up we'll talk with labor activists Cheryl Schroeder and Aaron Carmella from the West Central Federation of Labor, On Wednesday, August 29th from 6:00PM to 7:30PM the West Central Florida Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Central Labor Council will host “Welcome to Romney’s America,” a satirical look at what life under a Romney/Ryan administration would look like. The event will feature street theatre performed along the official RNC pa...
Be the first to commentFlorida's Amendment 8 could give more funding to faith-based charities; opponents worry it'll increase school vouchers listen
04/04/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Florida Education Association, AFL-CIO, Rich Templin, Amendment 8, Blaine Amendment, education, religious freedom, charity
A proposed amendment appearing on the ballot this fall would overturn the part of Florida’s Constitution that forbids public funds from going to religious organizations. A group called Citizens for Religious Freedom and Non-Discrimination is starting a coalition in support of Amendment 8. At a press conference Wednesday morning in Tampa, one of the amendment’s original authors, former state Representative Juan Zapata said it would allow faith-based charities to better provide public service...
Be the first to commentTampa demonstrators support Obama's jobs bill for veterans benefits listen
10/20/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: AFL-CIO, jobs, veterans, VA
Advocates for President Barack Obama’s jobs bill told veterans to tell their representatives to pass provisions that would benefit America’s military at a Rally in front of the VA hospital in Tampa Wednesday. The group handed out literature outlining parts of the bill that would give tax credits and job preference to some military people.
President Obama’s Jobs bill contains $447 million worth of incentives to get people back to work and repair the cou...
Be the first to commentLabor Activists Discuss The State Of Working Americans
09/05/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Monday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: labor, AFL-CIO, Arlene Holt-Baker, Lynne Webb, Richard Flamm, Aaron Carmella, Tom Tito, Unemployment, President Obama
Today is Labor day and we're honored to be joined by five members of the labor movement. Arlene Holt-Baker is executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, Lynne Webb is President of the West Central Florida Federation of Labor, Aaron Carmella is the zone co-ordinator of the Florida AFL-CIO, Richard Flamm is a member of AFSCME, and Richard Tito is a member of UAW local 298 and he works at the Raytheon plant in Pinellas County.
Be the first to commentInterview with organizer of Tampa We Are One Rally starts the Last Call conversation today
04/04/11 Robert LoreiLast Call Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: We Are One, Jason Smith, AFL-CIO, unions, Florida, public workers, labor, Martin Luther King Jr., 2011 legislative session
Good afternoon, welcome to the Last Call. I'm Rob Lorei. We'll start today's program with an interview with Jason Smith of the Florida AFL-CIO who is organizing a We Are One rally today at Al Lopez Park in West Tampa.
At the time of his death on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was marching in solidarity with 1,300 black sanitation workers in Memphis; the public employees were defending their right to collective bargaining for better wages, working conditions, respect and dignity...
Be the first to commentFlorida Senate budget measure would would make public workers pay 3 percent of gross income into retirement listen
03/31/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Florida Senate, state budget, JD Alexander, AFL-CIO, Rich Templin, Gwen Margolis, Evelyn Lynn, Don Gaetz, DROP, 2011 legislative session
In Tallahassee the Senate Budget Committee approved a bill that would drastically change public employee retirement plans. Reports, dozens of government employees implored the panel to vote down the bill, which among other things would require them to pay three percent of their gross income into their retirement.
State Senator JD Alexander is a Republican from Lake Wales. He is the grandson of late Florida citrus magnate Ben Hill Griffin. He is great-grandson of former Florida Governor Nap...
Be the first to commentShould Unemployment benefits Be Extended?
11/16/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Tuesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: unemployment benefits, AFL-CIO, Aaron Carmella, labor, unemployment
The Hill reports this week:
Be the first to comment"With lawmakers set to return next week for a lame-duck session, uncertainty is looming over the continuation of emergency unemployment benefits as time is running out before the latest extension expires at the end of November.
"Congressional Democratic leaders have yet to formulate a plan how to proceed with the expiring extension with the debate on the issue expected to take center stage when lawmakers return next week.
"If lawmakers don't act by No...
