Some elected leaders in Tallahassee, however, are choosing this tumultuous time to attack their rights to continue to advocate for our students by proposing bills that would eliminate dues deductions for public employees, endangers constitutionally protected collective bargaining rights agreed to by employers and workers over the course of 40 years in Florida, and puts into question the ability to make personal decisions without government overreach.

Art. 6 of the Florida Constitution guarantees the following:

“Right to work. —The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike.”

UFF and FEA members demand our legislators honor the founding principles of our nation and the state of Florida constitution and vote no on SB 1014/HB 835. The next committee stop for SB 1014 is in the Rules Committee at 8:30am on Tuesday April 20. If it passes committee, it will be heard on the senate floor Wednesday, April 21. Meanwhile, its companion (HB 835) is on the House special-order calendar and will also be taken up by the chamber on Tuesday.

On behalf of the 25,000 higher education professionals UFF represents, we call on UF to get out of the way and allow faculty to tell the truth based on their expertise and research. UFF will defend our members if the university takes any disciplinary action against them, either for continuing to participate in the voting rights lawsuit or for going public about the university’s unconstitutional decision.

“The University of Florida has overstepped its authority by denying these professors the right to participate as expert witnesses in a voting rights case against the state. It is absolutely shameful that the University of Florida has chosen this partisan approach to public service in an attempt to sway the outcome of a lawsuit. The United Faculty of Florida will do all that is within our power to protect the First Amendment rights of higher education faculty, students, and staff across the state. A university’s interests are not synonymous with those of the state, since the advancement of knowledge for the public good must be above political parties.”