Broward Teachers Vote to Keep Their Union

Introduction to the Election

In a long-awaited election, Broward teachers have voted overwhelmingly to keep their union, officials said Monday. The Broward Teachers Union is now the latest teachers’ group in Florida to win recertification after a 2023 state law left it more challenging for public-employee unions to keep operating.

Election Results

About 6,228 teachers voted to keep the Broward Teachers Union and 128 voted against the group, Anna Fusco, the union president, said Monday. This overwhelming support demonstrates the value that teachers place on their union. “They want the Broward Teachers Union to be there, because we do a lot more than fight,” Fusco said. “We look after our students and look after working conditions in our buildings. We love our students. That’s the big message that people keep missing.”

Background on the State Law

The union celebrated the outcome of the election, which was long awaited ever since the state law took effect. Among other things, the legislation removed the ability for government agencies to deduct union dues from employees’ paychecks. Also, the Broward Teachers Union petitioned for its recertification election after it didn’t meet a requirement set by the state law: A recertification election is held if fewer than 60% of employees in a bargaining unit pay union dues and submit membership forms.

Membership and Election Turnout

Fusco said Broward’s teachers union was at about 54% last year when it petitioned for the recertification election. The membership figure has risen slightly, now about 55%, she said. In a recent interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said over 100 education unions in the state have already held and won elections for recertification. Among those were the teacher unions in Miami-Dade County, which voted last year, and Palm Beach County, which voted two months ago. Broward teachers had a month to mail their ballots to the The Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, which counts the results and schedules the elections. The election had a 47.8% turnout, which Spar said was better than some other elections for education unions in the state.

Reaction to the State Law

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the law in 2023, said the reasoning behind the legislation is that it would ensure dues don’t unnecessarily come out of paychecks for teachers who aren’t intending on being involved in the union, he has said. “If you want to join, you can, but you write a check and you hand it over,” he said at the time when he signed off on the new requirements. “That is gonna lead to more take-home pay for teachers.” Spar is among those who’ve criticized the move. “Clearly, the governor’s attempt to try and silence teachers and staff in the state of Florida has failed miserably like it should,” Spar said.

Conclusion

The Broward Teachers Union’s victory in the recertification election is a significant statement about the value of unions in the education sector. Despite the challenges posed by the 2023 state law, the union has demonstrated its importance to its members and the community it serves. The outcome of this election, along with others across the state, underscores the resilience and determination of educators to have a collective voice in their profession.

FAQs

• Q: What was the outcome of the Broward Teachers Union recertification election?
  A: The majority of teachers voted to keep their union, with 6,228 votes in favor and 128 against.
• Q: What changes did the 2023 state law make regarding public-employee unions?
  A: The law removed the ability for government agencies to deduct union dues from employees’ paychecks and required recertification elections if fewer than 60% of employees in a bargaining unit pay union dues and submit membership forms.
• Q: How does the election turnout compare to other education union elections in the state?
  A: The 47.8% turnout was considered better than some other elections for education unions in Florida.
• Q: What has been the reaction to the state law from union leaders?
  A: Union leaders, like Andrew Spar, have criticized the law, seeing it as an attempt to silence teachers and staff, which they believe has failed based on the election outcomes.
  

  In a long-awaited election, Broward teachers have voted overwhelmingly to keep their union, officials said Monday.

  The Broward Teachers Union is now the latest teachers’ group in Florida to win recertification after a 2023 state law left it more challenging for public-employee unions to keep operating.

  About 6,228 teachers voted to keep the Broward Teachers Union and 128 voted against the group, Anna Fusco, the union president, said Monday.

  “They want the Broward Teachers Union to be there, because we do a lot more than fight,” Fusco said. “We look after our students and look after working conditions in our buildings. We love our students. That’s the big message that people keep missing.”

The union celebrated the outcome of the election, which was long awaited ever since the state law took effect. Among other things, the legislation removed the ability for government agencies to deduct union dues from employees’ paychecks.

Also, the Broward Teachers Union petitioned for its recertification election after it didn’t meet a requirement set by the state law: A recertification election is held if fewer than 60% of employees in a bargaining unit pay union dues and submit membership forms.

Fusco said Broward’s teachers union was at about 54% last year when it petitioned for the recertification election. The membership figure has risen slightly, now about 55%, she said.

In a recent interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said over 100 education unions in the state have already held and won elections for recertification. Among those were the teacher unions in Miami-Dade County, which voted last year, and Palm Beach County, which voted two months ago.

Broward teachers had a month to mail their ballots to the The Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, which counts the results and schedules the elections. The election had a 47.8% turnout, which Spar said was better than some other elections for education unions in the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the law in 2023, said the reasoning behind the legislation is that it would ensure dues don’t unnecessarily come out of paychecks for teachers who aren’t intending on being involved in the union, he has said. “If you want to join, you can, but you write a check and you hand it over,” he said at the time when he signed off on the new requirements. “That is gonna lead to more take-home pay for teachers.”

Spar is among those who’ve criticized the move. “Clearly, the governor’s attempt to try and silence teachers and staff in the state of Florida has failed miserably like it should,” Spar said.