250 nurses at Florida Medical Center in Plantation have voted to be represented by National Nurses organizing Committee-Florida. They join 5000 other nurses across the state who have recently voted for union representation.
Florida has become the stingiest state when it comes to unemployment benefits. Starting in January, Florida will join Michigan and Missouri in providing less than the standard of 26 weeks of benefits. Benefits will be paid for 12 to a maximum of 23 weeks, based on the current unemployment rate. There will also be stricter work search requirements and it will be easier for businesses to challenge claims.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the United States has the worst income inequality of the 34 nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The current level of income inequality has not been seen in the U.S. since the 1920's, with 25 percent of the country's income going to one percent of its population. More than 80 percent of the increase in income since 1980 has gone to the top 1 percent of wage earners.
The NFL lockout, ended for a day by order of a U.S. district judge, is back on again. The U.S. Court of Appeals has issued a temporary stay, allowing the NFL to reinstate the lockout. The collective bargaining agreement between players and the league expired on March 11.
An arbitrator has ruled that the city of Hialeah must reinstate a dozen firefighters that were laid off in December 2010 by Mayor Julio Robaina. The arbitrator ruled that the firefighters were fired without cause and also ordered that the firefighters be repaid back wages.