Gray Rohrer
A bill changing a law passed last year to bar some public sector unions from automatically deducting dues from workers’ paychecks is set for a Senate vote, after lawmakers discussed the bill on the floor Wednesday evening.
The measure (SB 1746) from Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, seeks to exclude more unions from the law, which prevents automatic deductions and requires 60% of workers to be members to remain certified as a union and requires more reporting of information related to the union.
Ingoglia, though, had to fend off two amendments from a fellow Republican, Sen. Joe Gruters of Sarasota. Gruters sought to eliminate the requirement to use a membership form issued by the Public Employees Relations Commission, rather than forms they already use for membership drives.
“There’s no rationale for having unions complete two membership forms,” Gruters said.
But Ingoglia said the form was still needed.
“This is the only form that has the information that is just prescribed by law,” Ingoglia said.
The amendment failed 14-22, with Democrats in support.
“It just seems like its punitive and just to make it harder,” said Sen. Tina Polsky, a Boca Raton Democrat. “Is that really the intent?”
Democrats opposed the bill passed last year barring the automatic deduction of union dues, arguing it specifically targets teachers’ unions, which typically support Democrats in elections. They noted that it exempts police and firefighter unions, which often support Republican candidates.
Other parts of this year’s bill expand the exemption to include 911 operators, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
Senators are poised to vote on the bill Thursday.
The House version of the bill (HB 1471) passed through the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday, its last hurdle on the way to the floor in that chamber.
3 comments
JD
February 21, 2024 at 11:06 pm
While the state is screaming they need teachers and will let unqualifed people teach from strip mall voucher schools.
GTFO.
This is how democracy dies. By destroying education under the guise of “school choice” and gutting public ones.
George
February 22, 2024 at 12:34 am
Ingoglia pussies out by not including police and firefighter unions. What kind of Republican is he to promote organized labor?
FloridaPatriot
February 22, 2024 at 7:58 am
So it is blatant that the GOP is only attacking the educational system and it’s employees. They want to exempt every other union except teacher and staff unions. They will keep it up until Florida has such a deep teacher/staff crisis that kids will be 60 to a class.
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