Florida lawmakers' union restrictions bill: Paycheck protection or political payback?
Unions representing teachers and health care workers would face strict, new requirements under a measure approved Wednesday in a swipe at key allies of the Florida Democratic Party by the Republican-controlled Senate.
Outside the Senate chamber, dozens of members of state public employee unions sang, chanted and held signs protesting before the Senate vote. The new standards also apply to unions for librarians, garbage haulers, utility line workers, cafeteria workers and many others.
“It’s looking to not only destroy our union, but also to intentionally hurt our workers,” said Abel Besvergunat, 52, a therapist at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital. “It’s clearly political payback.”
The bill, called for by Gov. Ron DeSantis, ends paycheck deductions for specific public-sector union dues and increases to 60% required employee membership, decertifying a union that can’t meet that threshold.
https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/29/florida-gop-led-senate-puts-more-demands-on-unions-that-opposed-desantis/70059678007/
I see this as another effort by Florida Republicans to reduce union membership and consequently lower worker wages. They really seem intent on lowering the pay of teachers in particular, which drives people away from choosing that occupation (especially in Florida). It's as if they want to lower public education standards, perhaps to diminish the role of public education programs and promote for-profit charter schools.
They are all despicable humans. Apparently they prefer an undereducated, submissive population that won't object to becoming slave wage serfs beholden to the corporate overlords.
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