By Jim Saunders, Tom Urban The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Sen. Ray Rodrigues says the bill is about making sure workers have the final say about money they have earned. Critics say it is about “union busting.”
But a Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that could lead to a battle during the upcoming legislative session about unions that represent teachers, firefighters, law-enforcement officers and other public employees.
The bill (SB 78), sponsored by Rodrigues, an Estero Republican who chairs the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, would affect the process of deducting union dues from employee paychecks.
For example, the bill would add a new step in which government employers would have to confirm with workers that they want dues taken out of their pay before the deductions could start. That would be in addition to a current process of union bargaining agents submitting written requests to begin deductions.
Rodrigues, who is sponsoring the bill, said it is about “the deduction of pay of public employees and whether that deduction should occur before the employee has expressly authorized it.”
“The employee who earns the money should be the person and final arbiter who makes the decision on how those funds are spent,” he said.
But Democratic lawmakers and union representatives criticized the proposal, saying the additional requirements are not necessary and are an attempt to make it harder to join unions.
“This bill is just another attempt at union busting, and it’s a solution in search of a problem, when there is no problem,” said Sen. Victor Torres, an Orlando Democrat who serves on the committee.
The proposal is filed for consideration during the legislative session that will start March 2 and is drawing attention from a variety of business and labor groups.
Groups that expressed support during Wednesday’s meeting included Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Americans for Prosperity. Groups opposing the bill included the Florida AFL-CIO, the Florida Education Association, the United Faculty of Florida, the Florida Professional Firefighters and the Florida Police Benevolent Association.
The Republican-dominated Legislature has taken up issues in recent years that have drawn fierce opposition from unions.
During the 2020 session, the House approved a bill that mirrored Rodrigues’ new proposal. The Senate did not take up the issue during the 2020 session, but Rodrigues was elected to the Senate in November after serving in the House.
Along with the issue about employers confirming that workers want dues deducted from their pay, the bill also would add a time limit on the authorizations. Under the proposal, the workers’ approval of deductions would continue until new collective bargaining agreements are reached or three years after the deductions begin, whichever is earlier.
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Don’t forget 90,000 less kids went to school this year-home schooled. Schools were still funded as if they were in class, but you want more money. I think it will be less teachers teaching down the road.
Government education does not have a lock on the means of education.
You want to defund the police? And yes, so you don’t have to waste your time — I know you would voluntarily pay taxes for police and maybe fire. The point is no one on the south and west sides would pay for them.
Taxes are not theft in the same way you are not a conservative/libertarian. Stop saying it. Or be intellectually honest and say you are an anarchist. Every single founding father paid taxes and thought they were a legitimate function of government. You have taken and distorted these concepts so far only because you want to be Smartest Guy in the Room, and you think being contrarian does that.
Most of us can also choose what level of family benefits we want withheld, and how much to put in a 401k, so why can’t we choose to have union dues withheld…or not?
Automatic deduction of union dues are a huge benefit to the unions as it saves them the cost of collecting the dues, which can be huge amounts when you figure total membership. It also implies a partnership of approval with government or your employer to make you pay the dues as if they are required.
But most important, this bill puts the decision to participate more in individuals hands, and that scares the wits out of the unions. They will be willing spend $millions to fight this.
“The employee who earns the money should be the person and final arbiter who makes the decision on how those funds are spent,” he said.
If they only offered that option with taxes.
“the bill would add a new step in which government employers would have to confirm with workers that they want dues taken out of their pay before the deductions could start” What is wrong with THIS, how is it Union Busting?
You all are sure putting up a big fight over something that your saying the additional requirements are not necessary. Believe me, I would want my Employer making sure that I want the Dues coming out of my Check or not. Blind Faith will lose every time.