McKenna Schueler
@shecarrieson.bsky.social
Staff Reporter for Orlando Weekly | Words in Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, In These Times, Strikewave, Facing South. Also have a Substack: Caring Class Revolt. Retweet =/= endorsement. Say hi/send tips: mckenna@orlandoweekly.com
Pinned
Florida lawmakers ignore attempt to reestablish a state labor department to take on wage theft — again
The AG's Office, the only state enforcement mechanism for Florida's minimum wage, recovered unpaid wages for exactly one person last year.
www.orlandoweekly.com
Just another afternoon thinking about how Florida doesn’t have a state labor department (because Jeb Bush abolished it) and how the state’s minimum wage is basically left up to an honor system because the state takes little action to enforce it. www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
Discovery Cove accused of refusing to recognize divers’ union, violating federal labor law
Discovery Cove accused of refusing to recognize divers’ union, violating federal labor law
Discovery Cove in Orlando has allegedly refused to acknowledge its divers' union and has failed to begin bargaining a contract with them.
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 17, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Discovery Cove accused of refusing to recognize divers’ union, violating federal labor law
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
Orange County mayor Jerry Demings threatens to cancel agreement with ICE over costs
Orange County mayor Jerry Demings threatens to cancel agreement with ICE over costs
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings sent a letter to federal officials last Friday, threatening to cancel the county’s
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 17, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Orange County mayor Jerry Demings threatens to cancel agreement with ICE over costs
Discovery Cove, a sister theme park to SeaWorld, is accused of refusing to recognize and bargain with their divers’ union, violating federal labor law www.orlandoweekly.com/news/discove...
Discovery Cove accused of refusing to recognize divers’ union, violating federal labor law
Discovery Cove in Orlando has allegedly refused to acknowledge its divers' union and has failed to begin bargaining a contract with them.
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Discovery Cove, a sister theme park to SeaWorld, is accused of refusing to recognize and bargain with their divers’ union, violating federal labor law www.orlandoweekly.com/news/discove...
One of the lobbyists leading the charge on this is Freedom Foundation lobbyist Rusty Brown, a former DOL policy advisor under the 1st Trump administration and former VP of a union-avoidance firm that has made millions of dollars union-busting for Amazon.
A Florida bill (SB 1296) that aims to dissolve more public sector unions (specifically teachers' unions) could be unconstitutional, a Senate staff analysis notes. In the meantime, Florida's GOP appears to be fast-tracking it for passage. www.orlandoweekly.com/news/labor/f...
Florida bill targeting unions could be unconstitutional, staff analysis warns
Florida Sen. Jonathan Martin defends SB 1296 during its first committee stop (Feb. 11, 2026) A new proposal from Florida lawmakers that would make it
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 17, 2026 at 3:13 PM
One of the lobbyists leading the charge on this is Freedom Foundation lobbyist Rusty Brown, a former DOL policy advisor under the 1st Trump administration and former VP of a union-avoidance firm that has made millions of dollars union-busting for Amazon.
A Florida bill (SB 1296) that aims to dissolve more public sector unions (specifically teachers' unions) could be unconstitutional, a Senate staff analysis notes. In the meantime, Florida's GOP appears to be fast-tracking it for passage. www.orlandoweekly.com/news/labor/f...
Florida bill targeting unions could be unconstitutional, staff analysis warns
Florida Sen. Jonathan Martin defends SB 1296 during its first committee stop (Feb. 11, 2026) A new proposal from Florida lawmakers that would make it
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:53 PM
A Florida bill (SB 1296) that aims to dissolve more public sector unions (specifically teachers' unions) could be unconstitutional, a Senate staff analysis notes. In the meantime, Florida's GOP appears to be fast-tracking it for passage. www.orlandoweekly.com/news/labor/f...
New roundup of activity reported by Florida’s ‘union avoidance’ consultants and employers in Florida that hire them: open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
Busted: What Florida’s union busters have been up to | Feb. 2026 (Part 1)
A round-up of reported activity by Florida's union avoidance consultants and employers in Florida that hire them.
open.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 5:37 PM
New roundup of activity reported by Florida’s ‘union avoidance’ consultants and employers in Florida that hire them: open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
So we’ve moved on from avocado toast to juice and chicken
February 13, 2026 at 12:15 AM
So we’ve moved on from avocado toast to juice and chicken
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
This Senator Didn't Even Know What His Anti-Union Bill Did
We take a look at a bill making it's way through the Florida legislature, SB 1236/HB 1387, which is yet another anti-union bill, and react to video of the bill's own sponsor being exposed in awkward real-time...
🧵
We take a look at a bill making it's way through the Florida legislature, SB 1236/HB 1387, which is yet another anti-union bill, and react to video of the bill's own sponsor being exposed in awkward real-time...
🧵
February 10, 2026 at 3:17 PM
This Senator Didn't Even Know What His Anti-Union Bill Did
We take a look at a bill making it's way through the Florida legislature, SB 1236/HB 1387, which is yet another anti-union bill, and react to video of the bill's own sponsor being exposed in awkward real-time...
🧵
We take a look at a bill making it's way through the Florida legislature, SB 1236/HB 1387, which is yet another anti-union bill, and react to video of the bill's own sponsor being exposed in awkward real-time...
🧵
ICYMI: Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation (similar to laws recently passed in AL, TN, and GA) that would disincentivize private employers from remaining neutral during union organizing drives or from granting a union voluntary recognition.
www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida moves to incentivize employers to make it harder for their workers to unionize
Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation that would incentivize employers to make it harder for their employees to form a union.
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 6, 2026 at 10:11 PM
ICYMI: Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation (similar to laws recently passed in AL, TN, and GA) that would disincentivize private employers from remaining neutral during union organizing drives or from granting a union voluntary recognition.
www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida Republicans advance bill along party lines to allow Floridians the ‘opportunity’ to earn less than minimum wage www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida Republicans advance bill to allow ‘opportunity’ to earn less than minimum wage
A panel of Florida lawmakers have advanced a bill (HB 221) that would allow certain types of workers to temporarily “opt out” of being paid minimum wage.
www.orlandoweekly.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Florida Republicans advance bill along party lines to allow Floridians the ‘opportunity’ to earn less than minimum wage www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Meanwhile, a Florida bill giving public employees the green-light to misgender their coworkers is also advancing floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/05/b...
Bill saying public-sector workers don't need to use people's preferred pronouns advances • Florida Phoenix
A measure to impose state regulations on pronoun use for public-sector employees and contractors was approved in its first committee stops in both the Florida Senate and House this week. The “Freedom ...
floridaphoenix.com
February 5, 2026 at 11:08 PM
Meanwhile, a Florida bill giving public employees the green-light to misgender their coworkers is also advancing floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/05/b...
Florida GOP Sen. Massullo forgets what his anti-union bill does, claims it would require employers to sign neutrality agreements w/ unions in order to receive state economic incentives when in fact (after being pressed by Sen. Smith) he is forced to admit he was “incorrect” and it does the opposite
February 5, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Florida GOP Sen. Massullo forgets what his anti-union bill does, claims it would require employers to sign neutrality agreements w/ unions in order to receive state economic incentives when in fact (after being pressed by Sen. Smith) he is forced to admit he was “incorrect” and it does the opposite
Florida Republicans are simultaneously trying to gut voluntary recognition as a method of organizing a union in the public sector (HB 995/SB 1412) and disincentivize employers from granting union recognition to workers in the private sector, too (HB 1387/SB 1236).
February 5, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Florida Republicans are simultaneously trying to gut voluntary recognition as a method of organizing a union in the public sector (HB 995/SB 1412) and disincentivize employers from granting union recognition to workers in the private sector, too (HB 1387/SB 1236).
In Pinellas County, FL, a dark money-funded ‘Energy Alliance’ is working against a community push for publicly-owned electricity, by @valeriejeansmith.bsky.social pubished in @cltampabay.bsky.social www.cltampa.com/news/in-pine...
In Pinellas, a dark money-funded ‘Energy Alliance’ is working against the push for publicly-owned electricity
Logos for the St. Pete and Clearwater 'Energy Alliance.' Pinellas Energy Alliance is spending tens of thousands of dollars on ads, consultants and
www.cltampa.com
February 5, 2026 at 12:36 AM
In Pinellas County, FL, a dark money-funded ‘Energy Alliance’ is working against a community push for publicly-owned electricity, by @valeriejeansmith.bsky.social pubished in @cltampabay.bsky.social www.cltampa.com/news/in-pine...
“If this bill passes … there is absolutely no reason that a McDonald’s franchisee owner can’t declare all of the jobs in his restaurant as work study, and then compel people in the community to sign away their minimum wage rights” — Dr. Rich Templin of the Florida AFL-CIO on Florida’s HB 221
February 4, 2026 at 7:42 PM
“If this bill passes … there is absolutely no reason that a McDonald’s franchisee owner can’t declare all of the jobs in his restaurant as work study, and then compel people in the community to sign away their minimum wage rights” — Dr. Rich Templin of the Florida AFL-CIO on Florida’s HB 221
"Instead of waiting months for an interview or a diploma and tens of thousands of dollars of debt, those interested in our line of work can get started in less than a month as a registered apprentice with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters." www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2...
I run a Florida union. Here’s why you should come join us | Column
A union head writes about the perks of helping work in a rapidly growing area.
www.tampabay.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:22 PM
"Instead of waiting months for an interview or a diploma and tens of thousands of dollars of debt, those interested in our line of work can get started in less than a month as a registered apprentice with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters." www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2...
Tomorrow, a FL Senate committee will hear a bill (SB 1236) that would incentivize employers to make it harder for workers in the private sector to form unions & discourage neutrality. It's similar to model legislation drafted by ALEC that's been passed (in some form) in AL, GA, & TN 🧵
February 3, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Tomorrow, a FL Senate committee will hear a bill (SB 1236) that would incentivize employers to make it harder for workers in the private sector to form unions & discourage neutrality. It's similar to model legislation drafted by ALEC that's been passed (in some form) in AL, GA, & TN 🧵
New roundup of activity reported by Florida’s “union avoidance” consultants (a.k.a union busters) and employers in Florida that hire them:
open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
Busted: What Florida's union busters have been up to | Jan. 2026 (Part 2)
A round-up of reported activity by Florida's union avoidance consultants and employers in Florida that hire them.
open.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:34 PM
New roundup of activity reported by Florida’s “union avoidance” consultants (a.k.a union busters) and employers in Florida that hire them:
open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
open.substack.com/pub/caringcl...
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
New labor reporting from @shecarrieson.bsky.social, checking in from Tampa where some hospitality workers want the same bennies as their counterparts in Orlando.
Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize www.cltampa.com/news/union-p...
Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize
SSP workers at Tampa International Airport pose with fist-bumps after a worker organizing committee meeting in fall 2025. Food servers, bartenders, and
www.cltampa.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:01 PM
New labor reporting from @shecarrieson.bsky.social, checking in from Tampa where some hospitality workers want the same bennies as their counterparts in Orlando.
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize www.cltampa.com/news/union-p...
Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize
SSP workers at Tampa International Airport pose with fist-bumps after a worker organizing committee meeting in fall 2025. Food servers, bartenders, and
www.cltampa.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize www.cltampa.com/news/union-p...
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
On general strikes 🧊 lithub.com/kim-kelly-on... @lithub.com.web.brid.gy
Kim Kelly on the Difference Between a General Strike and a National Shutdown (And Why It Matters)
On January 23, thousands of people across the state of Minnesota took part in a massive day of action to protest ICE’s violent occupation of their home. Despite subzero temperatures, the day saw be…
lithub.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:47 PM
On general strikes 🧊 lithub.com/kim-kelly-on... @lithub.com.web.brid.gy
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers
A bill that would help temp workers and day laborers secure permanent employment advanced through a Senate committee of lawmakers this week.
www.orlandoweekly.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:36 PM
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers
A bill that would help temp workers and day laborers secure permanent employment advanced through a Senate committee of lawmakers this week.
www.orlandoweekly.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Florida lawmakers unanimously advance bill to expand protections for temp workers www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
A union-busting bill introduced last year in the FL Legislature that failed to pass has been revived and just passed its 1st committee. Public records I obtained last year show the draft language came from DeSantis' office & an anti-union think tank caringclassrevolt.substack.com/p/florida-re...
Florida Republican targets local and state government unions at behest of anti-union group
Emails obtained through a public records request show Florida GOP Sen. Jonathan Martin was urged by a lobbyist with an anti-union group to file legislation targeting public sector unions.
caringclassrevolt.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:18 PM
A union-busting bill introduced last year in the FL Legislature that failed to pass has been revived and just passed its 1st committee. Public records I obtained last year show the draft language came from DeSantis' office & an anti-union think tank caringclassrevolt.substack.com/p/florida-re...
Reposted by McKenna Schueler
Florida Republican says ‘American Dream is dying’ because minimum wage is too high www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...
Florida Republican says 'American Dream is dying' because minimum wage is too high
A Republican-dominated panel of Florida lawmakers on Wednesday advanced a proposal that would allow employers in Florida to legally pay certain entry-level workers less than the state minimum wage of…
www.orlandoweekly.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:48 AM
Florida Republican says ‘American Dream is dying’ because minimum wage is too high www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida...