Florida teachers’ union accused of strong-arming educators to join

An American Federation of Teachers-affiliated union in Miami-Dade County, Fla., has been hit with a pair of complaints accusing officials of coercing educators to join up in a bid to bolster lagging membership numbers.

United Teachers of Dade (UTD) allegedly sent organizers into county public schools last month to pressure two teachers into paying membership dues, according to copies of the complaints exclusively obtained by The Post.

The first filing claims the union broke Florida law by directing the complainant to the school teachers’ lounge during work hours — and then demanding the teacher join the labor group even though she had left it in July.

A vice principal at the school had called the teacher and requested her to report to the lounge, where an organizer was waiting to ask the educator about her union membership, according to the complaint.

United Teachers of Dade (UTD) sent organizers into county public schools in November, allegedly using the facilities and some personnel to pressure two teachers into paying membership dues. United Teachers of Dade
UTD sought to bolster lagging membership numbers and strongarm educators into paying dues this past month amid a certification push. TNS

“The UTD organizer would not have had the ability to locate and speak with [redacted] at that time without the assistance of the School’s administration,” the filing states.

“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.

UTD is an affiliated union of the American Federation of Teachers, whose president, Randi Weingarten, testified earlier this year before Congress about efforts to keep schools closed. REUTERS
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.

The organizer nevertheless “bullied and belittled” the teacher by raising her own voice and remarking on the situation to at least five others in the lounge.

Days later, the woman alleges, another organizer approached her in a hallway and asked her to fill out a form that would authorize payment of union dues, which the teacher declined as she was no longer a member.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the union certification bill into law on May 9, in what was seen as another blow to teachers’ unions. AP

The teachers’ attorney, Allison Beattie, has asked the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission to demand UTD cease “coercing” educators to pay union dues, notify its members about the violations of employees’ rights and “apologize in writing” to the complainants “for its actions.” 

United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernandez-Mats did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The union had been attempting to shore up its membership ahead of a vote determining its state certification.

Under Florida Senate Bill 256, all public sector unions must have an active membership of at least 60% in order to be certified. The bill also ended automatic payments of dues to teachers’ unions.

UTD failed to reach the 60% threshold on Nov. 17, leaving its certification up to the state’s Public Employees Relations Commission.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 256 into law on May 9 after it sailed through the state legislature.

The governor, now a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has waged running battles with labor groups over issues ranging from COVID policies to school curricula.