Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the impact of Senate Bill 256 in Florida. Spar also discussed FEA's work to ensure its membership is compliant and their plans for 2024.
Last May, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed Senate Bill 256 targeting public employee unions other than police and fire unions. This bill limits the rights of employees seeking a union and paying their union dues and creates a 60 percent threshold for membership. Spar described these processes as alternatives available for keeping unions under that threshold. Spar said the bill was written by the Freedom Foundation, an anti-union organization that attempts to decertify unions across the nation.
The FEA is educating its members on what is happening and how to fight back against the union's decertification efforts by outside groups. Many members are concerned about the union's future, but Spar and his team have secured 85 percent of the members on a new dues payment system that is compliant with the new requirements. So far, no local unions have been lost in Florida, and the FEA is working closely with the state AFL-CIO to ensure they do what is needed to prevent losing any Locals.
The FEA has launched several polls with students, parents and union members. Most of the responders do not agree with the direction of the education system in Florida. That polling data will be crucial to many of the initiatives that the FEA will be using in 2024 to fight back against the attacks on education. As the policymakers in the state begin to listen to voters during election time, Spar believes there is a possibility to see a turnaround, but it will take a lot of effort.
To hear more from Spar, please listen to the entire episode above.