Florida GOP lawmakers are also pushing phony 'paycheck protection' bills

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 9005

Think the Kentucky General Assembly is the only state legislature where union-busting Republican majorities are pushing those deceptively named "paycheck protection" bills?

Think again. 

MAGA lawmakers, who also rule the roost in the Florida legislature, are trotting out what should be called "paycheck deception" bills, too. Union-despising GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis will doubtless lose no time in signing the legislation. 

We just got this from William Barry, a Baltimore labor historian: 

On Friday, March 3, 2023, Republicans in Florida’s House of Representative filed a proposal, which would revise provisions pertaining to public sector union employees. HB 1445 would prevent the deduction of union dues directly from employees’ paychecks. Florida’s Senate will take up its version of this bill, SB 256, this week. SB 256 requires a union to maintain representation of 60% of eligible workers in order to be recognized. Along with Florida’s right-to-work status, these bills threaten unions’ abilities to attract and retain members. Both bills exempt law enforcement and firefighter unions from the proposed changes. Florida’s legislature has considered similar bills in the past, without success, however, Republicans now have a supermajority in the state legislature.