Florida’s Hospitality Union UNITE HERE: “Puerto Rican Workers in Florida Won’t Be Fooled By Trump’s $13 Billion Bribe”

For immediate release
September 21, 2020

 

UNITE HERE represents 33,000 hospitality workers in Florida, including many thousands from Puerto Rico. UNITE HERE’s largest concentration of Puerto Rican workers is in Orlando Local 737 which represents 18,000 housekeeping and foods workers at Walt Disney World.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. Thousands of people died. Homes and infrastructure were destroyed.

The Trump administration left the island to fend for itself. Aid was delayed. It took months to restore electricity and water. A mass migration of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland followed, disrupting lives and splitting apart families.

Trump looked for photo opportunities tossing paper towels.

“Three years later and two months before the presidential election, Trump arrogantly believes he can fool Puerto Rican voters with a bribe of $13 billion,” said Jeremy Haicken, President of UNITE HERE Local 737. “Does Trump really think Puerto Ricans are that stupid?”

“After Maria destroyed my home, I was forced to leave the island and migrate to Orlando,” said Sofia Ortiz, a Disney Housekeeper. “Trump turned his back on Puerto Rico in 2017 and now we’re going to make sure his presidency ends this year.”

“I am disgusted by President Trump’s cynical attempt to manipulate and take advantage of Puerto Ricans,” said former Congressman Luis Gutierrez. “I can’t wait to be on the ground with UNITE HERE in Orlando making sure Puerto Rican voters make Trump a one-term president!”

UNITE HERE is engaged in a massive statewide voter mobilization campaign ahead of the November election. Hundreds of volunteers and paid canvassers are making phone calls, knocking on doors and using new mobile technology to turn out co-workers, family and neighbors to vote on November 3rd.

 

 

Paid for by UNITE HERE PAC. 212-265-7000. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.