Stop Constitutional Attack on Florida's Workers!

PROTECT FLORIDA'S WORKERS!

The Florida Legislature is currently considering two Joint Resolutions (HJR 1013/SJR 1908)that will place a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution on the ballot that will block the major provision of the Employee Free Choice Act. As we all know, the Employee Free Choice Act represents a groundbreaking change to the nation's labor laws that will protect the fundamental rights of all American workers to have a voice on the job through collective bargaining. This proposed amendment will deny Florida's workers the benefits of the Employee Free Choice Act. This amendment is being pushed by Representative Adam Hasner, the House Majority Leader who is a board member for a national effort funded by big business to block the Employee Free Choice Act. This amendment will give Florida corporations the constitutional right to control the process through which workers gain a voice at work. It will give CEOs a free pass to illegally fire, harass and intimidate Florida's workers and keep them from exercising their rights to collectively bargain.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please Vote "NO" on SJR 1908, HJR 1013 so-called secret ballots

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to urge you to vote against the proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 1908/HJR 1013) that some in the Florida Legislature falsely claim is designed to protect the secret ballot. This amendment is really about denying the rights of hundreds of thousands of Florida's workers to collectively bargain for fair wages, health care benefits and basic safety standards on the job.

The key to rebuilding the middle class and Florida's economy is to allow workers to exercise their basic right to form organizations so that they can bargain collectively and have a voice on the job. Currently, that right is all too often denied by serious flaws in the nation's labor laws and the Employee Free Choice Act currently being debated in Congress will fix those flaws. This proposed amendment is an attempt to block Florida's workers from enjoying the benefits of the Employee Free Choice Act.

The right to a secret ballot in local, state and federal elections is already protected in Article VI of Florida's Constitution. There is nothing in the Employee Free Choice Act that takes away any rights for workers to have a secret ballot in union elections; it merely allows workers to decide for themselves how they will organize cooperatively to have a voice on the job rather than the corporations. If passed, this amendment will give CEOs the constitutional right to continue intimidating and harassing workers during the company controlled election process for union representation. It will also strip firefighters, police officers, teachers and other public employees of their rights under the Public Employee Relations Act and the Public Employee Relations Commission process of voluntary recognition of unions.

At a time when Florida is in the midst of the worst budget crisis in a generation, I would hope that I can count on you to spend your time working to resolve these problems rather than participating in an effort to deny Florida's workers their basic rights. You can do that by voting against this proposed amendment.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 01, 2009


Background Information

The Florida Legislature is currently considering two Joint Resolutions that will place a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that will block the major provision of the Employee Free Choice Act. As we all know, the Employee Free Choice Act represents a groundbreaking change to the nation's labor laws that will protect the fundamental rights of all American workers to have a voice on the job through collective bargaining. This proposed amendment will deny Florida's workers the benefits of the Employee Free Choice Act. Currently, CEO's and corporations get to force workers into company controlled elections to decide whether or not they will have a voice on the job. These so-called "secret ballot" elections are used by companies to draw out the process and give them a chance to fire, intimidate and harass workers to frighten them into giving up their right to collectively bargain in their workplaces. The Employee Free Choice Act will give workers the chance to decide for themselves whether or not they will form a union using an election or the currently allowed process of majority sign-up, whereby workers' signatures on National Labor Relations Board approved cards requesting union representation serve as their vote for a voice at work. This amendment is being pushed by Representative Adam Hasner, the House Majority Leader who is a board member for a national effort funded by big business to block the Employee Free Choice Act. This amendment will give Florida corporations the constitutional right to control the process through which workers gain a voice at work. It will give CEOs a free pass to illegally fire, harass and intimidate Florida's workers and keep them from exercising their rights to collectively bargain. This amendment will also destroy Florida's Public Employee Relations Act and the process through which our public employees gain voluntary recognition for their unions through the Public Employees Relations Commission. This threatens the rights of our teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public servants.

Take action today - contact your Senator and Representative and tell them to VOTE NO on SJR 1908 and HJR 1013, the amendment to deny Florida's of their rights to collectively bargain for better lives for themselves and their families.

TO FIND OUR MORE VISIT

http://www.aflcio.org/joinaunion/voiceatwork/efca/