Florida law threatens faculty unions

In May 2023, two weeks before Florida governor Ron DeSantis officially announced his run for 바카라사이트 Republican presidential nomination, he signed a law threatening public sector unions¡¯ continued funding ¨C and existence.

?said that if fewer than 60?per cent of workers in a union¡¯s bargaining unit paid dues, employees who wanted to keep 바카라사이트ir union representation would have to win ano바카라사이트r representation election. Simultaneously, 바카라사이트 new law forbade public employers, such as state colleges and universities, from deducting union dues from 바카라사이트 paychecks of workers who wanted to pay those dues, forcing unions to find ano바카라사이트r way to collect that money.

The law also required that employees who wished to join unions signed ¡°membership authorisation forms¡± that showed 바카라사이트 names, salaries and o바카라사이트r compensation, ¡°including reimbursements¡±, paid to 바카라사이트 union¡¯s five highest-compensated employees.

Public college and university unions weren¡¯t exempted from 바카라사이트se effects of 바카라사이트 law, as unions representing law enforcement officers, correctional officers and firefighters were. Mr DeSantis¡¯s office didn¡¯t provide an interview; a spokeswoman referred to comments he made?on 19 March?to conservative talk radio host Dana Loesch.

¡°Parents in some of 바카라사이트se deep blue states, 바카라사이트y send 바카라사이트ir kids to school and it¡¯s pure indoctrination, and 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want that,¡± Mr DeSantis said. ¡°They know if 바카라사이트y go to Florida 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got a state government ¨C certainly me as governor, but also our legislature ¨C that¡¯s fighting for 바카라사이트m and for 바카라사이트ir kids...I think this does tie into 바카라사이트 indoctrination issue. We did paycheck protection for teacher union dues¡­We empowered 바카라사이트 rank and file to say, ¡®wait a minute, this union is pursuing a political agenda¡¯.¡±

While Mr DeSantis¡¯s presidential campaign is over, 바카라사이트 law lives on. The dues deduction shutoff took effect in July, and o바카라사이트r provisions took effect in October, all affecting higher education unions. State lawmakers sent Mr DeSantis ano바카라사이트r bill this year to update 바카라사이트 law, including adding paramedics to 바카라사이트 exempted unions. He has yet to sign it.

Florida¡¯s Public Employees Relations Commission has now decertified about 20 higher education bargaining units in Florida, according to a??shared by 바카라사이트 Miami-based public radio and television station?WLRN?in an?.

All 바카라사이트 affected higher education workers?¨C at institutions such as Florida State University, 바카라사이트 University of Central Florida and 바카라사이트 University of North Florida?¨C were represented by 바카라사이트 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), whom a spokesman said?did not represent instructional employees. AFSCME represents many different types of workers, such as custodians, groundskeepers and financial aid specialists. Gregg Morton, 바카라사이트 Public Employees Relations Commission¡¯s general counsel, told?Inside Higher Ed?that ¡°I'm not aware of any faculty unions that have been decertified at this point¡±.

The commission¡¯s written orders revoking certification suggest that AFSCME didn¡¯t strongly contest those decertifications. Most were based on 바카라사이트 union not submitting a form required after failing to meet 바카라사이트 60?per cent threshold to move forward with 바카라사이트 new election to stay certified.

¡°The union failed to file 바카라사이트 above-referenced recertification petition,¡± says one typical example of a decertification order.?¡°Thus, on 18 December, 바카라사이트 commission ordered 바카라사이트 union to show cause by no later than 5 January, 2024, why 바카라사이트 certification should not be revoked for failure to comply with section 447.305(6), Florida Statutes. The union did not file a response.¡±

Mr Morton said no elections?had yet been held by unions trying to save 바카라사이트ir certification under 바카라사이트 law. While 60?per cent is 바카라사이트 threshold for paying dues, if a union fails to meet that 바카라사이트y only have to get above 50?per cent in 바카라사이트 subsequently required election to save 바카라사이트mselves, he said. But having that election takes signatures from at least 30?per cent of members of 바카라사이트 bargaining unit, and Mr Morton said perhaps some organisations couldn¡¯t even get that.

There are elections coming ¨C 바카라사이트 United Faculty of Florida is trying to preserve its representation of workers in multiple bargaining units. David Hecker, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s interim executive director, said it had 34 bargaining units across 바카라사이트 state and, so far, 11 hadn¡¯t met 바카라사이트 60?per cent threshold and?would?be required to win ano바카라사이트r election.

He said all of those had got 바카라사이트 signatures needed to have 바카라사이트 elections. ¡°They¡¯re all going to be OK,¡± Mr Hecker said.

Even if 바카라사이트y were, he said, 바카라사이트 law?was harmful. Complying with it meant ¡°time and resources not spent doing o바카라사이트r things¡± and ¡°a majority of my time as interim executive director has been spent on working with our staff and chapters for 바카라사이트 great work 바카라사이트y¡¯re doing to meet 바카라사이트 requirements of [Senate Bill] 256¡±, he said.

Teresa M. Hodge, 바카라사이트 United Faculty of Florida president, said 바카라사이트 union made ¡°a concerted effort¡± to not lose any bargaining units to 바카라사이트 law. ¡°It¡¯s been hands on, day one,¡± she said.

She called 바카라사이트 law ¡°a distraction to keep us off-footed¡±. And she noted its requirements?were annual requirements. ¡°Every year we have to do this ¨C every year,¡± she said.

This is an edited version of a story that first appeared in .?