McKenna Schueler, Author at Creative Loafing Tampa

A group of thirteen people stand together in a breakroom or meeting space, all raising one fist in a gesture of solidarity. They are dressed in casual and work attire, including t-shirts and polo shirts, smiling toward the camera. The room has grey walls with blue wainscoting, several rows of blue plastic chairs in the foreground, and long white tables along the side.

Union push at Tampa International Airport sees restaurant workers asking contractor for fair process to organize

Employees of SPP America want the same benefits as their unionized counterparts in Orlando.

by McKenna Schueler February 2, 2026February 2, 2026

Food servers, bartenders, and other restaurant staff at Tampa International Airport who offer respite to more than 20 million passengers traveling through the airport annually are calling on their employer—one of the airport’s contractors—to allow them a fair process to organize a union. The restaurant workers are technically employed by SSP America, an airport contractor […]

Two people stand close together smiling in a room decorated with music memorabilia and green walls. The individual on the left wears a dark blazer over a checkered button-down shirt and tan trousers, while the individual on the right wears a dark, floral-patterned v-neck dress and a name tag. In the background, another person stands with crossed arms near a sofa.

Democratic socialist Richie Floyd, St. Pete’s youngest councilperson, officially launches re-election campaign

He was named council vice chair this month.

by McKenna Schueler January 27, 2026January 27, 2026

Clearwater Starbucks workers join nearly 4,000 baristas on strike

Workers are asking customers and their communities to boycott Starbucks for as long as they’re on strike—meaning no gift cards, no coffee and no holiday merch.

by McKenna Schueler December 12, 2025December 13, 2025

A self-driving white Jaguar I-PACE with a California license plate is parked or driving in a sunny city street, with other cars and storefronts blurred in the background. The vehicle's distinctive black Waymo sensor hardware is clearly visible on the roof.

Driverless taxi company Waymo eyes expansion to Tampa

It could be a year before Tampa residents will actually be able to ride in a driver-free taxi.

by Ray Roa and McKenna Schueler December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

Representative Michelle Salzman stands and speaks into a microphone during a legislative session, wearing a plaid blazer over a white top, with a painting of a historic building in the background

Florida Republican wants to decriminalize drug testing tools

Rep. Michelle Salzman’s bill would make it legal to use testing strips, and could help curb overdose deaths.

by McKenna Schueler November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

Portrait of a smiling man with a beard, wearing a black suit and tie, clapping his hands together outdoors at a campaign event.

Florida politicians react to New Yorkers picking democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani to be their mayor

Tampa Bay has just one democratic socialist currently in local elected office.

by McKenna Schueler November 7, 2025November 7, 2025

Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani (Democrat) stands at a desk, wearing a tan blazer and a green top, speaking into a handheld microphone. She has long dark hair and is addressing colleagues in the legislative chamber. A large blue mural featuring a manatee is visible on the back wall.

Florida Democrats call on DeSantis to act before SNAP assistance gets delayed during government shutdown

Millions could see benefits for November delayed if the U.S. government shutdown stretches into next month.

by McKenna Schueler October 23, 2025October 23, 2025

A topiary of the Disney character Goofy stands in a vibrant flower bed under a blue sky. Goofy is made of green foliage and is holding a small bouquet of red and white flowers in one raised hand. He is surrounded by colorful flowers, including large, oversized pink and yellow blossoms, with palm trees and park buildings in the background.

Arbitrator blocks labor strike at Disney’s Epcot in Orlando

Disney argued a strike by employees of one of its contractors would violate a separate union contract Disney has that covers its own employees.

by McKenna Schueler October 15, 2025October 20, 2025

Government shutdown dooms thousands of Central Floridians to work unpaid

‘Once again, we are told our work is essential, but our livelihoods are treated as expendable,’ said one Orlando International Airport TSA officer

by McKenna Schueler October 6, 2025October 6, 2025

Florida’s minimum wage rises to $14 an hour

Florida now has the highest minimum wage in the geographic South, thanks to a historic vote by Floridians in 2020.

by McKenna Schueler October 1, 2025October 1, 2025

A portrait of Jose Javier Rodriguez, a man with a receding hairline, standing with his arms crossed. He is smiling warmly at the camera and wearing a blue pinstripe suit, a light blue shirt, and a tie. The background is a blurred, lush green park with a body of water behind him.

If elected as attorney general, José Rodriguez vows to actually enforce Florida minimum wage law

The AG has the power to fine employers found to have willfully violated minimum wage requirements—there is no evidence that the office has ever done this in the 20 years they’ve had the authority.

by McKenna Schueler September 29, 2025September 29, 2025

Orlando’s Pulse rainbow crosswalk was painted over. St. Pete mayor says his city’s Pride crosswalk mural could be next

by Selene San Felice and McKenna Schueler August 21, 2025August 30, 2025

Central Florida union busters are failing to comply with federal law, report says

Federal records show that Allain—affiliated with the firm Rallain Consulting LLC in Land O’ Lakes—didn’t file a report disclosing his own persuader activity for companies last year either.

by McKenna Schueler July 24, 2025August 5, 2025

Tampa Bay renters need to make $32.42/hour to comfortably afford a one-bedroom apartment, per report

Florida’s minimum wage workers have to be on the clock for 96 hours to afford a ‘modest’ one-bedroom rental at fair market rate.

by McKenna Schueler and Jani Burden July 21, 2025August 21, 2025

In the face of ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ Central Florida’s Planned Parenthood clinics ‘don’t plan on going anywhere’

Planned Parenthood has one clinic location each in Orlando, Kissimmee and Lakeland, two facilities in Tampa, and 12 other locations throughout Florida.

by McKenna Schueler July 15, 2025August 10, 2025

St. Pete-based nonprofit scrambles to continue overdose prevention program after state cuts off funds

The Florida Harm Reduction Collective has been delivering hundreds of overdose prevention kits to Floridians by mail since 2023.

by McKenna Schueler June 22, 2025July 13, 2025

‘Workers in Florida are reaching a tipping point’: Teachers unions score victory in state push against their existence

The Florida Education Association says 100 of its local unions had successfully recertified.

by McKenna Schueler June 11, 2025July 24, 2025

Tampa drivers for Breakthru Beverages among those on strike this week

According to the Teamsters, the open-ended strike involves roughly 170 Breakthru employees across Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Pensacola and Tallahassee.

by McKenna Schueler June 5, 2025June 18, 2025

Workers at a third Tampa Starbucks file petition to unionize

The store is at the Shoppes of Carrollwood, less than two miles from another unionized Starbucks.

by McKenna Schueler May 16, 2025June 15, 2025

These formerly incarcerated Florida workers took on lobbyists and won a labor protections fight

Beyond the Bars met with lawmakers to persuade them against the bill, which appeared streamlined for passage.

by McKenna Schueler May 7, 2025May 22, 2025