Florida unions flop amid low point for U.S. labor organizing
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
It's a dark time for unions around the country, especially in the Sunshine State.
What's happening: 4.7% of Florida's workforce are union members, one of the lowest rates in the nation according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The big picture: That's half the national figure, which sunk to a new low of 10% last year, down from a high of 20.1% in 1983 when the bureau first reported comparable figures, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.
Why it matters: Advocates say unions are a needed proponent of worker rights and compensation, while critics say unions throttle progress in the workplace.
Zoom in: Last year, DeSantis was criticized for signing a "union busting" bill with restrictions that include preventing dues from being deducted from workers' paychecks.
- The law affects all public sector unions, but it hit the state's teachers unions the hardest.
- After battling with the governor over restricting books, teaching Black history and talk of gender and sexuality in schools, the teachers unions lost their fight against the bill in court.
The impact: As a result of the new law, Miami's teachers union, the state's largest and one of the biggest in the country, was nearly decertified after falling short of its required membership numbers.
What we're watching: Florida Republicans proposed a bill last week meant to clear up confusion about implementing the law.
- The new legislation would also add paramedics, EMTs and 911 dispatchers to workers exempted from its requirements, which already includes law enforcement officers and firefighters.
