Governor Ron DeSantis is voicing support for a measure that could potentially impact the massive influence that the teacher unions pose.
The Governor of Florida wants to end automated deductions of union dues from the paychecks of all public educators—a move that would disrupt their revenue stream.
Those critical of the unions cheered the move, as less automated funding equates to less power in the long run.
Supporters of the measure also argue that this is giving teachers a choice of how and where to spend their money and greater leeway for monthly expenses.
Teachers in general are constantly said to be underpaid and often take secondary jobs to make ends meet—ending automated garnishment of their wages could go a long way toward remedying that issue.
DeSantis recently told an audience in Orlando:
NEW: DeSantis says they want to create Paycheck Protection Legislation for teachers:
“You do not have to join teachers Union, but if you do (the govt) we don’t want to play a role in deducting anybody’s money, so you write a check every month for the dues and you do it that way” pic.twitter.com/COsnzaZZnO
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) December 19, 2022
DESANTIS: “First of all, you totally, you do not have to join teachers union. But if you do, the government, we don’t want to play a role in deducting anybody’s money so you write every month for the dues and you do it that way"https://t.co/dV2WTlSVqH
— Lydia Nusbaum (@LydiaNusbaum) December 19, 2022
According to Miami Herald:
“It’s more of a guarantee that that money is going to actually go to those teachers,” DeSantis said in the speech, posted online by the NTD television network. “
It’s not going to be frittered away by interest groups who get involved in the school system.
And so I think those will be really, really positive reforms, and we’re looking forward to doing that. And I think we’re going to get big, big support in the Legislature.”
Under such a proposal, teachers would have to pay union dues separately, making it less convenient.
DeSantis said the proposal “maximizes freedom to choose, and I think it will be a more accurate reflection of who actually wants to be part of this or not.”
#RonDeCastro is attacking teachers unions revenue source; he already made clear he will replace school board members w/"conservative ones", so next goal is to weaken unions power to fight him when he start replacing teachers also w/"conservative" ones.https://t.co/Dl6LvBIgmB
— Rudy Romeiro (@RudyLRomeiro) December 21, 2022
Gov. DeSantis giving teachers a choice.https://t.co/7bkWX9Aue8
— cavedog (@CaveDog12) December 21, 2022
Conservative Brief adds:
The governor also said he supports putting a threshold on teacher unions as well of at least 50 percent.
“If they don’t have a majority of the teachers who are actually signing up to pay dues, it should be decertified,” DeSantis said.
“You shouldn’t be able to continue as a zombie organization that doesn’t have the support of the people you are negotiating for.”
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