Florida public employee union representatives are warning a Florida bill gaining momentum this legislative session would undermine their organizations.
“It will hurt doctors like me, and ultimately, it will hurt our health care system,” said Dr. Casey Mohrien, a resident physician at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, at a press conference near the Capitol on Monday. “If we can't bargain for better and safer workplaces, no one else will.”
Lisa Bush, a Jackson Memorial trauma nurse, added: “If you get rid of unions, and you get rid of negotiations, then you could possibly get rid of everything that's in the contracts which safeguards what I'm doing.”
Supporters say they're trying to make unions more accountable to members.
There has been some compromise, with a toned down version of the bill, SB 1296, passing its last Senate committee on Monday.
But it would still change elections to require higher participation and stronger support for certification, one of union representatives' biggest concerns.
A union would be certified only if at least 25% of the bargaining unit participates in the election and 60% of those who vote support the union. Right now, only a simple majority of votes is needed.
Another provision generating debate would limit when public employees can be paid while performing union activities, such as restricting it for advocacy.
These provisions wouldn’t apply to police, firefighters and other public safety unions, another source of controversy.
Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, says many unions in the state aren’t doing enough to engage with and represent their members.
“These unions are all over the state of Florida, these collective bargaining groups, where the class that they represent doesn't want to be a member of that class,” said Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, the bill sponsor. “They don’t. They’re not voting. They don’t care.”
He added: “If the workers of the state of Florida want to be better represented, their unions have to do a better job.”
A similar House bill, HB 995, is also set for a final chamber vote. It doesn’t have the toned down language of the Senate version. It would require most public employee unions to win support from a majority of all involved workers, not just a majority of those who vote, in order to be certified.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
