Unions flex political muscle in Miami-Dade commission upset

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Many of Miami-Dade’s much beleaguered labor unions started reaching hard-fought agreements with a compromising county administration. This came on the heels of their victory last week when they helped elect a newcomer and unseated an incumbent — only the the third time that’s happened since 1960.

Coincidence? Probably not. It’s more likely that labor — which has been less relevant lately in municipal elections than at the state level — is starting to flex its local political muscle.

Unions, public employees and labor leaders played a vital role in Tuesday’s victory for the one-time underdog, Miami-Dade Commissioner-elect Daniella Levine Cava, who beat incumbent Vice Chair Lynda Bell — seen as an anti-employee elected — 52 to 48 percent.

Levine’s somewhat grassroots campaign may not have been successful with the avid participation of the PBA, the Miami-Dade Firefighters Association, the AFSCME Local 199 that represents the largest number of county workers, the water and sewer union, the SEIU which represents nurses at Jackson Memorial Hospital and probably almost every other union in the county.

And she acknowledged them in her victory speech. “We’re here because of you,” she told them.

For Andy Madtes, president of the AFSCME Local 199, was practically in bliss when he finally heard the news that Levine had won.

“This was too important. We were heavily invested in this one,” Madtes told Ladra, adding that union members knocked on 7,000 doors in eight weeks and that the organization raised $80,000 for Levine. They also repeatedly called the 1,200 members who are registered to vote in that district to get them out.

Levine won by about half of that.

“It sent a very strong message that being united and staying strong is beneficial,” said Terry Murphy, a consultant who works with labor organizations on advocating their issues. He said the unions were also united on their front against the draconian cuts proposed by Gimenez, who once wanted a 10 percent salary decrease.

Murphy also said that by toppling Bell, they had weakened Gimenez and helped commissioners more simpatico with their cause.

“This is a paradigm shift. A sea change,” Murphy told Ladra. “The county commission lost a pivotal person when it comes to their hard right alignment.

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  Daniella Levine Cava, labor issues, Lynda Bell, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue