Manuel Martinez makes about $20 an hour. He works as a security screener in the American Airlines hangar at Miami International Airport. He’s 28, lives alone in an apartment in Hialeah for $1,000 a month and sends what’s left of his paycheck after bills back to his mom in Cuba.
After Florida’s recent legislative session, however, Martinez says he might not be able to afford what little he has even now.
Late last week, the Florida Legislature passed a pair of bills — HB 433 and HB 705 — that will ban local governments from mandating wages above the statewide minimum for subcontracted workers and construction employees.
If Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the bills into law, Martinez and nearly 20,000 workers in just Miami-Dade County could have their pay — currently lifted thanks to local mandates — cut to just $12 per hour.
In a formal letter to the Governor (attached below), Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava asked DeSantis to veto the bills before they take effect, citing the thousands of working families who stand to be affected.
“If signed into law, this pair of bills will have far-reaching negative consequences on our local economy by preempting critical living wage and small business programs that have contributed to our continued economic growth," Cava wrote. “This legislation undermines our liberty to strengthen our local economy, hurts our small businesses, and keeps our residents from potential job opportunities and good wages.”
For Martinez and his fellow airport workers, the legislation could spell the end of his time in Florida.
“We come into a free country to have a better life, to have a better salary, to sustain our family and pay our bills,” Martinez told WLRN. “If they cut our salary, I'm gonna move.”
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House Bill 433, sponsored by Republican Florida State Rep. Tiffany Esposito of Fort Myers, preempts local governments from enacting or enforcing “living wage” laws.
Local governments throughout Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, have laws that require certain types of companies that contract with the government to pay their employees a living wage.
In Miami-Dade, where the living wage is $20.34 for workers not offered insurance benefits, about 9,036 people are currently covered under the county’s living wage program, according to the county’s Office of Small Business Development. These workers include airport security guards, janitors, transit security workers, and employees at Port Miami.
"We come into a free country to have a better life, to have a better salary, to sustain our family and pay our bills."Manuel Martinez, Miami International Airport worker
Broward County’s living wage ordinance covers approximately 6,100 workers contracted with the county for airport concessions, airline services, security and janitorial services, according to the Broward Purchasing Division.
The living wage for Broward security workerswho do not receive health insurance is $20.82. For all other non-insured workers who are covered under the ordinance, the living wage is $18.65.
Palm Beach also has a living wage ordinance on the books. The county did not respond to WLRN’s request for data on workers covered by the law.
Helene O’Brien, Florida director for the service workers union SEIU Local 32BJ, told WLRN that her union represents thousands of workers in South Florida who stand to be harmed by HB 433 if it is signed into law. She said her union members intend to retaliate at the ballot box against the legislators who voted in favor of the bill.
“When the cost of housing, food and utilities is rising, it is unconscionable that the Florida Legislature voted to cut wages for tens of thousands of hard-working Floridians. They will be looking at how their Representative and state Senator voted on living wage preemption,” O’Brien said.
Bill redefines 'public works project'
The other bill at issue is HB 705, which redefines the term “public works project” under the state’s eyes to any construction project that uses local or state funding — previously, the definition only applied to projects that used state funding.
In effect, this bill will preempt local governments from requiring construction contractors to pay “prevailing wages,” or wages that are competitive within an industry.
According to Levine Cava’s letter to DeSantis, 9,429 workers are covered under Miami-Dade’s Responsible Wages and Benefits program, which would become illegal if HB 705 is signed into law.
“HB 705 represents a sweeping preemption of Miami-Dade County’s critical local programs that facilitate the development of small businesses, support the local economy, protect responsible employee wages, and ensure the employment of local residents,” Cava wrote.
Gov. DeSantis has the ability to veto the legislation. If he signs them, or takes no action, the bills will become law. According to DeSantis’ official website, HB 433 and HB 705 have not yet come across his desk.
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