Florida’s Union-Busting Regime: A Report from the Front Lines
Union activists lined the halls in the state capitol in Tallahassee, protesting anti-union legislation meant to kneecap public sector worker power.
Organizing in the South has always been challenging, and Florida’s latest union-busting legislation has only made it harder.
Public sector unions had successfully fought off these attacks for years, but the tide turned in May 2023. The new law imposed severe restrictions: requiring public sector unions to maintain 60 percent membership, banning payroll dues deductions, and mandating a cumbersome four-page membership form. Notably, police, fire, and corrections unions were exempt.
We left the State Capitol before the ink was dry and returned home to start organizing. My union, Communications Workers (CWA) Local 3170 in Gainesville, had just over a year to meet the 60 percent membership threshold.
Initially, I was optimistic—by July, we had signed up over 40 percent. I was sure we’d reach 60 percent by September. But I was wrong.
We were used to existing with approximately 30 percent at our local; Florida being a right-to-work state, public sector employees didn’t have to join the union before. We did a lot of education, but even with the possibility of losing their contract, ultimately it felt like everyone was waiting to be the 40 percent that wouldn’t have to pay dues.
Not to mention, we were battling any bad experience anyone had or even heard about. “My cousin’s best friend was in a union back in Texas 15 years ago, they did him dirty, I’ll never join a union!” Or “I’ve been here for over 15 years, never needed the union, why would I need it now?”
We were also blamed for state laws that had been made, out of our control, decades before. We had to basically start from scratch; it was going to be an uphill battle. CWA locals across the state were hearing the same.
DUES DEDUCTION BLOW
When the law banning payroll dues deductions went into force July 1, we lost nearly 30 percent of our members. Many were hesitant to continue paying dues amid the uncertainty. Transitioning to direct payments through an app proved to be a major hurdle, especially in this economy.
Previously members would simply sign a union card, and dues would be deducted automatically. Now they had to actively enter their banking details, which complicated the process.
Despite these setbacks, we ramped up our efforts, spreading the word and reassuring members that CWA was not retreating, CWA was listening—we were rebuilding, and we needed them to help or we would fail.
Our bargaining unit at the Alachua County Library set the example, reaching and maintaining over 60 percent membership within months. When recertification time came, they were able to continue as usual.
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But as the year progressed, we saw other unions struggle. The Electrical Workers (IBEW) let the City of Ocala go, with membership at just 14 percent. The Laborers (LIUNA) walked away from its Alachua County workers, who had only 9 percent membership. The Teamsters left Citrus County employees without a union.
Some unions—CWA, the American Federation of Teachers, the United Faculty of Florida, and many others—chose to fight back.
PIVOT TO NEW ELECTIONS
With CWA’s September 2024 deadline looming and our numbers falling short, we pivoted. We collected the required 30 percent Designation of Representation Forms and essentially started from scratch, filing interest cards to trigger new union elections.
Our three remaining Local 3170 units surpassed the 30 percent threshold of DOR forms and joined hundreds of other units across the state in filing for new elections.
“Florida Education Association unions have passed those reorganizing recertifying elections 100 percent,” said Alachua County Education Association President Carmen Ward. But “the cases are so many that the Public Employee Relations Commission is very, very far behind in holding the elections. They were never set up to deal with so many unions needing to recertify.”
Her union is one of the few that kept its head above water, managing to clear the 60 percent threshold for both its bargaining units despite losing many members with the loss of dues deduction. But even these unions will still have to face the same rigmarole all over again, every year, as the process repeats.
EVEN MORE HURDLES?
As we head into 2025, CWA is still waiting for our election dates. Our local units are among 93 now listed on the state’s website as “pending” elections.
One silver lining: our City of Gainesville unit, which previously included public utility employees, used this opportunity to separate into distinct bargaining units. Now our utility members are negotiating a brand new contract. With this renewed momentum, membership is rising again.
CWA’s next filing deadline will be in November, and I was confident we would not only win our elections but also surpass the 60 percent membership requirement this time. Ironically, Senate Bill 256 may have strengthened our union—but we will continue to fight for its repeal, so that every public sector employee in Florida can enjoy the right to collectively bargain.
However, as I write these words, the state legislature is at it again. Unhappy that we have taken the steps to survive SB 256, they are now coming after our ability to reorganize with additional bills that will make surviving very difficult, which could mean the end to many public sector unions in Florida. The fight continues…
Jenn Powell is an organizer with Communications Workers Local 3170 in Gainesville, Florida.
