South Florida AFL-CIO backs Daniella Levine Cava for re-election as Miami-Dade Mayor

The South Florida AFL-CIO is again throwing its support behind Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

At a Labor Day press conference in Miami honoring “elected champions” who have fought for workers’ rights, the group once more endorsed Levine Cava, who is seeking re-election to the county’s most powerful local office.

President Jeffrey Mitchell, who also leads the Transport Workers Union’s Miami-Dade chapter, cited Levine Cava’s decades of community service, including as the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Catalyst Miami and prior elected role as a County Commissioner.

“We stand firmly behind her in in her re-election campaign,” he said in a statement. “Her record of supporting labor rights and advocating for pro-worker policies demonstrates her dedication to building a stronger and more equitable Miami-Dade. We know she will continue to be a powerful force in standing against attacks on labor and promoting an economy that benefits all residents.”

During her time in elected office, Levine Cava led pushes for Miami-Dade’s first living wage ordinance and advocated for other worker benefits and protections, including a $15 minimum wage and access to health care, sick days, family medical leave and rights for low-wage workers.

In December, she unveiled the Miami-Dade Extreme Heat Action Plan to better protect outdoor workers while significantly expand shade countywide through tree plantings and improved public facility offerings.

The South Florida AFL-CIO backed Levine Cava in her first run at the Miami-Dade mayoralty in 2020, which she won with 54% of the vote.

In the 2024 race, she faces three challengers in the technically nonpartisan contest: trapeze artist and fellow Democrat Miguel Quintero, Republican social media influencer Alex Otaola and Republican Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid, who officially entered the race Friday, about a month after confirming he was strongly considering a bid.

The more recent endorsement comes months after the Florida Legislature enacted a new law (SB 256) designed to weaken organized labor groups in the state. It prohibits most public employers from deducting union dues from employee paychecks, limits how unions can recruit and retain members, and sets a membership threshold for automatic certification renewal by the state.

The law, which Gov. Ron DeSantis championed and signed in May, does not apply to police, prison guards and probation officers, but it does apply to unions for teachers, nurses and other public sector professions. Among them: sanitation workers, school bus drivers, custodians, food service workers and other local and state government employees.

Levine Cava said in a statement that she is “deeply honored” to once more receive the South Florida AFL-CIO’s support and will continue to fight for workers’ rights.

“Protecting workers’ rights is essential for building the kind of future where all of Miami-Dade can thrive,” she said. “As I head into my re-election campaign, rest assured that my commitment to better opportunities for working families, fair wages, and safe workplaces remains unwavering.”