Florida AFL-CIO Elects New President & Secretary-Treasurer to Lead One Million Union Members and Retirees

By  Arrette Harvey

     FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -Organized workers in Florida just took a step that will put unions in the national spotlight. After being unanimously elected and sworn-in as President and Secretary-Treasurer of the Florida AFL-CIO, longtime Broward County labor leaders, Daniel “Dan” Reynolds, and Darryl “Mike D” Payne, have officially become the new leadership team of the largest union organization in the state.

These two labor leaders are no strangers to one another nor the U.S. labor movement. Reynolds has been serving as President of the National Federation of Public and Private Employees since 2003. Payne is the former President of the International Longshoremen’s Association in Fort Lauderdale. He also serves as National Vice President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) since 2010 and Regional Director of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) since 2007.

   Reynolds and Payne have both served as Broward County AFL CIO officers; Reynolds as President since 1995 and Payne as a Board Trustee since 2003. The Broward County AFL-CIO represents over sixty local union affiliates.

Both men have long tenures as officers of the Florida AFL-CIO: Reynolds as the immediate past Secretary-Treasurer; and Payne as constituency group Vice President representing CBTU, an official constituency group of the National AFL-CIO.

Payne is now officially the highest ranking African American in the State of Florida’s organized labor movement. The future of Florida’s workers is in solid, strong, and well experienced hands.

About Florida AFL-CIO The Florida AFL-CIO represents over 500 local labor unions, 10 councils, and over one million union members, retirees, and their families in the state. The Florida AFL-CIO is committed to providing better lives for all workers, members or not, through political and legislative action, grassroots mobilization, and education. They also support a wide range of community services working to build stronger and healthier communities.

Those represented include construction workers, health care professionals, classroom teachers,  agricultural workers, hotel and restaurant employees, transportation workers, firefighters, law enforcement and correctional officers. Wherever people work in Florida, across a broad range of trades and professions, AFL-CIO members will be present.