All,
Every Floridian, no matter what we look like or where we come from, should have the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe. We all share the core value that freedom should give us a fair shot at the American Dream through hard work and determination. However, each day our freedoms continue to be under attack from politicians who put corporate greed, extremist ideology, and self-serving political ambition ahead of what's best for Floridians. Look no further than DeSantis’ latest attack on workers’ rights with the union-busting bill SB 256 Employee Organizations Representing Public Employees. This bill will be heard Tuesday in the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. It would:
Ban automatic union paycheck deductions of Florida’s public employees;
Exact more burdensome and unnecessary administrative paperwork regulations on public employees and their unions;
NOT APPLY to unions for law enforcement, correctional officers, probation officers, or firefighters (!);
Make it illegal for unions to “distribute literature in areas where the actual work of public employees other than law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, or correctional probation officers is performed,” which pertains to offices, warehouses, schools, or other public installations.
Decertify public unions if their membership drops below 60%, causing them to lose bargaining power.
Make no mistake – this bill is another attack on women as it intends to cripple the largest, most politically vocal, female-dominated teachers’ union. Included in the sweep would be the nurses’ union if it has public employee members. Why else would the other male-dominated unions be excluded? American workers deserve the respect that comes with being paid fair wages for hard work and a dignified retirement. Unions have been an instrumental part of achieving those goals, but DeSantis and his legislative puppets want to divide us and scare us instead of helping regular folks get ahead. Please contact the following Senators on the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee AND your own Senators before Tuesday, and tell them you OPPOSE this bill and want them to VOTE NO. Don’t give them a pass! And be sure to also include the Democrats on the committee. THEN BE A MEGAPHONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY! Everyone needs to understand the dark anti-democratic turn our state government is taking this year with this bill and others. Senator Bryan Avila (R), Chair (850) 487-5039 Senator Tina Scott Polsky (D), Vice Chair (850) 487-5030 Senator Ben Albritton (R) (850) 487-5027 Senator Tracie Davis (D) (850) 487-5005 Senator Ed Hooper (R) (850) 487-5021 Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R) (850) 487-5040 Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson (D) (850) 487-5016 Senator Tom A. Wright (R) (850) 487-5008 Avila.Bryan.web@flsenate.gov; Polsky.Tina.web@flsenate.gov; Albritton.Ben.web@flsenate.gov; Davis.Tracie.web@flsenate.gov; Hooper.Ed.web@flsenate.gov; Rodriguez.AnaMaria.web@flsenate.gov; Rouson.Darryl.web@flsenate.gov; Wright.Tom.web@flsenate.gov
https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/GO/
Thank you,
Jean Siebenaler
LEGISLATIVE CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S CLUB OF FLORIDA
CITRUS:
State Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R)
Ingoglia.Blaise.web@flsenate.gov
Tallahassee #: (850) 487-5011
District #: (352) 666-5707
Florida Senate District 11