Union Going Door-to-Door For Joe Gibbons
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Some airport workers, who are getting woefully substandard wages through a loophole in the law, hope that state Rep. Joe Gibbons will be elected to the county commission and help them.
Joe Gibbons
The Service Employees International Union 32BJ are trying to help airport workers by campaigning door-to-door for Gibbons’ county commission campaign.
The group, through a committee, is also sending out mailed advertising. The pieces are here, here and here.
The SEIU has a reason to back Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach. He has a strong record supporting organized labor and fair wages. He could be expected to carry that over to the county commission if elected.
There is no doubt some workers at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport need help.
Some baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants make less than the minimum wage because they work for subcontractors, who don’t have to pay the “living wage” required by county vendors.
The Broward “living wage” is $12.95 without benefits. A number of airport workers get less than even the minimum wage for such employees –$4.91 an hour.
Helene O’Brien, director of the Florida chapter of the SEIU, is quoted in the Miami Herald as saying the problem is that subcontractors cut their bottom line to win contracts with the airlines That cost-cutting that comes out of the employees’ wages.
“Nationally, these are pretty much universally the worst jobs around,” O’Brien is quoted.
Ouch! Is that what Broward wants to be known for? The worst jobs around?
The SEIU should be applauded trying to end a county policy that allows substandard wages at the entry point for Broward – the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
If Gibbons is their man in the South Broward commission race, he deserves an ovation, too.
Gibbon’s opponent in Commission District 6 is Beam Furr, a former Hollywood city commissioner.
Here is a Twitter post from a union spokeswoman and an SEIU picture of the campaigning:
Voters want to vote Gibbons for BroCo Commission when 32BJ shares plight of FLL workers
August 13th, 2014 at 12:35 pm
Today an employee from Americans for Prosperity the right wing advocacy group created by the Koch brothers penned an OpEd strikingly similar to the one Gibbons placed in the Sun-Sentinel criticizing solar practice of net metering which provides economic incentives for homeowners and businesses that have rooftop solar panels.
It does seem odd that Gibbons has aligned himself with the the Koch Bros and utilities on this issue.
Many of the arguments made in both pieces are flawed/incorrect and part of a State Wide AstroTurf campaign being coordinated to repeal net metering in Florida to maintain the business model of Utilities.
It greatly concerns me that Rep Gibbons is spreading misinformation about renewable energy in Florida and other States, helping the utilities to end renewable energy incentives that help to make us less reliant on dirty energy.
August 13th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Here is the article BTW http://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/08/07/abigail-maciver-robbing-peter-pay-paul/13746861/
August 13th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
You know what creates thousands of good paying jobs?
Rooftop Solar Energy…
August 13th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
A Union Activist from Out of Town Supporting a Candidate From Out of Town.
August 13th, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Sun Sentinel /RE-ELECT RICHARDS, FELD TO COUNTY COURT
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorials/fl-endorsement-ian-richards-ellen-feld-20140813,0,6315122.story
August 13th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Buddy Didn’t Joe Gibbons actively campaign against unionization at Mardis Gras Casino?
Strange that new management at SEIU would support him.
Wonder what kind of deal he made.
August 13th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
What is Beam Furr’s position on this issue?
August 13th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Why do these workers need the help of the County Commission? They are free to form a collective bargaining unit to negotiate with their employer. If they cannot reach an agreement with the employer, they can go on strike.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:13 pm
Seth Platt who never had a job his daddy didn’t procure for him sans his failed acting career has the nerve to comment on a post about people struggling to to get a better living wage. Give me a break
August 13th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Oh good, some people are walking door to door for me, I need to get back to Broward as soon as the wife let’s me out of Lakeland.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
How can they pay less than the minimum wage? Is it because they get free flight privileges anywhere in the country and Europe?
August 13th, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Beam Furr is and always has been against all labor organizations. He has a record of fighting for years, even as a Union Member at Flanigan High School as a Media Specialist fought for years to strip employees in Hollywood of benefits. Beam works on his state pensions as a Hollywood City Commissioner, Flanighan High School Media Specialist and next as a County Commissioner. Beam double dipped into the same pension plan while working at Flanaghan High School getting paid and getting paid at the same time while attending Hollywood City Commission Meetings.
Can he work for the School Board in a full time capacity as a Media Specialist getting paid and contributing to a pension and be a County Commissioner full time getting paid a full time salary and contributing to a pension at the same time. Isn’t this illegal?
August 13th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Joe Gibbons lives in Jacksonville. His polling says he’s losing badly. In desperation he is hurling character attack and lies. Gibbons should run for the Duval County Commission where he lives.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:10 am
Going door to door in Jacksonville is not going to help Jacksonville Joe.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:42 am
Gibbons is desperate – he’ll do anything to deflect attention from his mediocre record and residency problem. And for O’Brien to state, “Nationally, these are pretty much universally the worst jobs around,” is a very misguided. And nobody has a gun to the baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants heads. If this is “universally” the worst job in the United States of America, then maybe they should put their amazing skills and knowledge to better use. Hilarious nationally universally the worst jobs around hahaha pushing an empty wheelchair to a gate and then pushing it with a frail human in it is nationally, universally the worst job around
August 14th, 2014 at 8:05 am
Too f’ing funny….That’s because Seth clearly has a “vested” interest. He has been raising money for Beam and hosting fund raiser from the get go.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
WOW it looks like Ron Gunzurger, Amy And Wally have nothing to do but blog for their candidates, cowards
August 14th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
# 6 AFL-CIO. Must have been the same deal State Rep George Moraitis District 93 made with the Broward AFL-CIO. Strange thing is in House District 93 is that the Democrat is only about $20,000 behind the Republican who’s also having even the RPOF paying his staff and he paid for a consultant from March spending basically over $69,000 plus including in-kind.
Seems like HD 93 will be a very close race. As the Democrat Herman, seems to have the money to basically match the GOP and can win the race.
For a vote for 2 safe votes since 2010, have incoming Senate President involved and say you will be more friendly to the union.
Funny thing is now the teachers union is tied into supporting vouchers and charter schools over public schools (excluding city charter of Pembroke Pine charter school).
August 14th, 2014 at 7:12 pm
is “Naked Truth”, really Gunzburger, Amy and Wally, you know, the Ron Gunzburger blogging mafia