Legislative Issues
Three anti-union bills are coming to the floor in Florida. The session starts the 2nd week of March. One bill decertifies unions with less than majority membership (except fire and police who usually have 100%), and one outlaws payroll deduction only for public employee unions, something that has been in place since 1974. The third bill talks about decertification of the union at "any time."
More on the three bills:
HB 1021, the House companion to Sen. John Thrasher’s SB 830, has been filed. HB 1021 was sponsored by Rep. Chris Dorworth (R-Heathrow) and is identical to the senate version. As you may be aware, these bills take away the right of members to have their dues automatically deducted from their paychecks if the union does any political advocacy at all.
HB 1023, filed by Rep. Scott Plakon (R-Longwood) will require recertification of a local union, as bargaining agent, that has a membership less than 50% of the potential bargaining unit membership by July 1st, 2011, or the certification of the bargaining unit will be revoked. The bill does not apply to law enforcement officers or firefighters.
HB 1025, filed by Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), will allow the members of a union to decertify the union as bargaining agent at any time. It requires union leaders to notify members of this right each year.
While we do not presently know what the final form of these bills will be, one thing is clear - we need to increase our membership ASAP to protect our CBA and our rights as workers. Ask your friends and colleagues to join, and stay tuned to this website and our Facebook group for more information as we receive it.