Posts tagged Florida
22 States Raised the Minimum Wage: What Does This Mean for Low-Skilled Workers?
January 12, 2024 // If an employer must pay someone $16 hourly, the new minimum wage in New York and California, whom will they pay? Would it be a higher-skilled college graduate or a less-skilled worker with only a high school diploma? You can deduce which hire is the safer option. When the cost of obtaining more education or skills is higher than the cost of relying on government unemployment benefits, dependence becomes the more appealing choice over labor-force participation.
Commentary: America’s Third Largest Teachers’ Union Heads for the Largest Decertification Vote in History
January 2, 2024 // On Dec. 19, UTD President Karla Hernandez-Mats confirmed the union hadn’t been able to persuade 60 percent of the 30,000 teachers it officially represents to become dues-paying members. A few days earlier, she claimed the union had increased its numbers to just more than 58 percent, including 800 new members. What she didn’t explain was that the union had to kick out all the substitute teachers from the bargaining district in order to increase their membership percentage, and still fell short. Hernandez-Mats declined to disclose the final tally. The 60 percent requirement was imposed under Senate Bill 256, the most aggressive state labor reform bill since Wisconsin’s Act 10 under then-Gov. Scott Walker. SB 256 also prohibits public agencies like school districts from deducting dues directly from employees’ paychecks on behalf of the union representing their bargaining unit.
Some Wells Fargo employees vote in favor of unionization; others reject
December 22, 2023 // In the lead-up to the vote, the bank had highlighted several measures it had taken to address some of the concerns raised by its employees, such as improving compensation and benefits for lower-paid workers and bumping up median base salaries. But at a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee earlier this month, CEO Charlie Scharf, when asked if the bank would remain neutral during the unionization effort, said Wells Fargo would exercise its right "to speak with (the employees) to make sure they make an informed decision". Employees at the Daytona Beach, Florida branch and Atwater, California have also filed for union elections which are expected to be held in January, two sources said.
25 states will hike minimum wage in 2024
December 22, 2023 // Sean Higgins, an analyst at the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, said many food and hospitality workers already earn more than their state minimum. He noted that employers have raised salaries to compete for a shrinking pool of applicants. “Raising state and local rates does hurt the smaller businesses, the classic mom and pop enterprises, who will employ local high school or college-age kids if they can but may not be able to justify that if the minimum rate increases,” Mr. Higgins said.
Miami-Dade’s Largest Teachers Union, Faces Decertification after Failing to Meet New Membership Law Requirements
December 21, 2023 // The UTD is now compelled to demonstrate that a minimum of 30% of its members desire union representation by collecting "showing of interest cards," a move in pursuit of certification eligibility. In a statement obtained by CBS News Miami, UTD described its ongoing activities: "From the strongest position regarding union solidarity and the fight for our collective wellbeing, we are now gathering Showing of Interest cards to be on the PERC Ballot to be certified as the union for education professionals in order to maintain our contract, wages, and benefits."
‘We Are Fully Prepared to Walk’ Union Authorizes Strike Against Bud Light Owners, Anheuser-Busch If Demands Are Not Met
December 19, 2023 // Anheuser-Busch Teamsters recently rallied in New Hampshire, California, and Florida with more plans for action across the country. Currently, there has not been a date set for negotiations to take place despite the contract end date being mere months away.
Commentary: Public Employees Leaving Their Unions in Record Numbers
December 18, 2023 // Regardless of when the Supreme Court decides to weigh in on the corrupt unions and complicit left-leaning judges thumbing their noses at the 2018 ruling, people are choosing to exercise the rights recognized in Janus.
Florida’s largest teachers union may face decertification under new state law
December 4, 2023 // AFFT reported that at least 42 Florida teachers unions are below the threshold and could face recertification votes for the first time, including UTD. As of last week, only 58.4% of Miami-Dade teachers are members of the union. “Last year we were at 51%, and last week we were at 58.4% in the third largest school district in the United States,” said union president Karla Hernandez-Mats. “People want to have their rights, people want to have wages, benefits, and a union that fights for them. And unfortunately, we’re seeing anti-worker legislation.” Most union members have never voted for a union to represent them. That’s because once unions are certified, they remain the exclusive representative unless challenged with a decertification vote. For the majority of public unions, that original certification happened decades ago.
Florida teachers’ union accused of strong-arming educators to join in effort to boost lagging numbers
December 3, 2023 // “I used to be a UTD building steward, and I was so disgusted with the union that I left it,” the teacher responded, according to the complaint. “Why would I want to pay dues?” The second complaint alleges that an organizer at a Miami-Dade public school made “loud and shaming remarks” about a teacher “in the presence of her colleagues” in an attempt to “verbally pressure” her into paying union dues. The teacher was approached as she was trying to use the faculty lounge’s restroom and made “repeated assertions that she d[id] not want to pay dues or be a member” of UTD, the filing states.
Tesla beats US claim that it fired factory workers amid union campaign
December 1, 2023 //