Progressive news out of Florida: Miami-Dade workers to benefit from wage theft ordinance

Early Friday morning, Miami-Dade County Commissioners voted to approve county Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s proposed budget of $6.1 billion, which includes funding to enforce the county’s wage theft ordinance.
According to a press release issued Thursday by the mayor’s office:

“The Wage Theft Ordinance has proven to be an effective tool More…

Department of Labor expands enforcement of wage violations

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today signed an agreement with the IRS and nine state agencies to “improve departmental efforts to end the business practice of misclassifying employees in order to avoid providing employment protections.” More…

Broward County, Fla., construction workers say they’re not being paid

More…Cesar, a construction worker who asked that we not use his last name, tells The Florida Independent he has not been paid after working eight weeks at a construction project in the Broward County city of Sunrise. He says at least 50 workers who work 10 hours or more a

School choice trailblazer currently at odds with fellow reformers awarded for work in voucher movement

Dr. Howard Fuller, a longtime advocate for school choice options in inner cities who recently came out against aggressive voucher expansion in his home state of Wisconsin More…, was recognized with an award this week for his work in the movement.
The John T. Walton Champions for School Choice Award

Florida grocery chains receive failing grades on Greenpeace’s sustainable seafood list

Greenpeace today released its fifth edition of “Carting Away the Oceans,” a report and scorecard that ranks top retailers in the U.S. on their sustainable seafood. Among those receiving failing grades are Florida-based grocery chains Winn-Dixie and Publix. #
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According to the report, Winn-Dixie has continually ignored all inquiries from Greenpeace

Rick Scott and public sector wages

The Miami Herald reports that Gov. Rick Scott once again praised the thrifty ways of America’s largest retailer, Walmart, on Monday: #

Scott said he saw a study last week (we’re checking to see where it came from) that showed the average government worker earns $9,000 more than the average More…

Rick Scott’s governing philosophy in one sentence

Visiting another state agency on Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott followed up on a question raised earlier this week by a Department of Corrections employee, who wanted to know whether the governor would require wealthy Floridians to help reduce the state deficit. #
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Here’s what he told the staff of the

Medical Marijuana cases dealt blows from state and federal courts

Friday was not a good day for Michigan’s controversial medical marijuana law, with two separate court cases being denied by one state court and one federal court.
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In one case, a federal judge in Grand Rapids upheld the firing of a Walmart employee with an inoperable brain tumor. Joseph Casias