Kelly Hayes
SEIU Florida is hosting its inaugural Workers’ Appreciation Day at the Capitol Tuesday, celebrating under the theme “Labor of Love” in a nod to Valentine’s Day.
The day will feature members and leaders SEIU Florida gathered to honor Florida workers, and encourage lawmakers to continue supporting them with worker-friendly legislation. SEIU Florida is one of the state’s largest unions, representing more than 80,000 Florida workers.
“So many hardworking Floridians — from frontline workers, teachers and janitors to bus drivers, fast food workers, and physical laborers — endure brutal conditions and put their bodies and lives on the line every day to provide for their families and serve our communities,” Alyssa Cundari Roelans, SEIU Florida’s executive director, said in a statement. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned firsthand that our health care, education, and daily needs are dependent on working Floridians. We wanted to take this opportunity to show our appreciation for all workers and to the legislators who support us.”
The event attendees will also hand-deliver Valentine greetings and treats to legislators to show gratitude for support and ask them to continue “showing their love for Florida’s essential workers by passing legislation that protects working families,” according to a news release from SEIU Florida.
Members will share the love with Capitol staff as well, handing out Valentine greetings to the custodians, security officers and cafeteria workers as a sign of gratitude for their hard work in keeping the Capitol running during the 2022 Session.
Roelans will be on-site attending the event with members Rhonda Miller, a bus driver with Palm Beach County Schools, and Teresa Greene, an adjunct professor at Valencia College.
Miller has worked for 12 years as a bus driver and is a board member of SEIU Local FPSU. Greene is a member of SEIU Local FPSU. She promotes building power for higher education faculty.
