Alachua County Labor Coalition

05/21/2026

05/08/2026

If you lived in Alachua County any time between 2005-2013 and were on the County-provided CHOICE health plan, we want to know about your experience. We are currently exploring the possibility of bringing it back to help people get or keep health care after federal Medicaid and ACA (Obamacare) cuts.

Email us with your CHOICES story to [email protected] ! We would also love the opportunity to meet to discuss your experience!

04/17/2026

04/14/2026

State Rep. Yvonne Hinson is calling for a comprehensive and public financial recovery plan from the GRU Authority to ensure accountability and transparency!

She rightly points out some of the many broken promises of the GRU Authority. They promised to lower bills. But they've only gone up. They've promised to pay down debt. But they're only going deeper in the red.

04/14/2026

Thank you to Jason Bellamy-Fults for writing this excellent article in this month's Gainesville Iguana

04/08/2026

This lack of transparency brought to you by the Alachua County Legislative Delegation! Just last month, every member of the Delegation EXCEPT Rep. Yvonne Hinson voted to overturn our election restoring accountability to GRU. Demand accountability from the legislators who stole your vote by visiting https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-legislators-gru-ratepayers-deserve-a-voice

01/28/2026

🚨City of Alachua Silencing Black and Working Class Voters🚨

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2026
ALACHUA, FL – The Alachua County Labor Coalition (ACLC) is sounding the alarm over the City of Alachua Commission’s decision to silence Black and working-class voters by closing the Cleather Hathcock Community Center voting site.

The Hathcock site is used by a working class, predominantly non-white community. But now, these voters will trek across town to the wealthier Legacy Park voting site.

“The City of Alachua Commission spoke loud and clear Monday. ‘Working class and Black folks in Alachua shouldn't vote. But if they insist, they must schlep to their overlords' backyard to do so,” said Bobby Mermer, Coordinator of the ACLC.

The Alachua Commission cited renovations to the Hathcock Center as the reason for closing the site, despite no renovations being underway. But Mermer suspects the real reason is a desire to protect a pro-establishment Commissioner from losing reelection as anti-establishment fervor in the town swells.

The Alachua County Labor Coalition demands the Hathcock Center be reopened as a voting site immediately.

Mermer closed by warning the Commission, "Disenfranchising working-class folks will not stop your citizens from cleaning house and rejecting greedy developers. Don't make this any harder on yourselves.”

12/08/2025

Our annual people's potluck is only a day away!

12/05/2025

Don't forget to come to our annual holiday party next Tuesday at Emmanuel Mennonite Church at 6! More information below from party planner Marilyn Eisenberg.
--
Dear Labor Coalition Members,

It has been a rough year politically, but the Labor Coalition never stopped advocating for the people of Alachua County. We won the GRU battle to keep local control by over 75% of the vote. We won victories on Affordable Housing around the county, and for RTS routes as well. A large turnout at the Medicare Birthday Party kept up our hopes and initiatives for Single Payer and Medicaid Expansion, however little our state and federal governments have done for us there.

It is time to celebrate now. The Alachua County Labor Coalition is holding its annual Potluck Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 9, at 6 PM at the Mennonite Church at 1236 NW 18th Avenue.

The Labor Coalition is famous for its successful potluck parties because of the culinary skills and generosity of its members. Please come with a delicious covered dish, dessert, appetizer, or salad that everyone can enjoy. We will provide non-alcoholic beverages. So if you want wine or beer, add that to your contribution.

After such a chaotic year with this administration, it will be important, soothing and inspiring to get with your progressive friends at this event and mingle with Labor Coalition’s great activists.

I have missed seeing many of you since last year. So I hope you can attend and join our holiday bash. Bring others you think may resonate with our precious ideals and activities. We would love to meet them.

Yours in solidarity,

Marilyn Eisenberg, Membership Chair

Alachua County Labor Coalition