Florida, like many other states, has a constitutional “right to work” provision. While these right-to-work laws grant collective bargaining through a union that represents all of its constituents (members of the union or not), they do not guarantee the continuation of particular positions or a living wage. Conversely, right to work laws prohibit public employees from striking. Hence, unions in right to work states have significantly curtailed leverage in bargaining. Our union’s strength–at the bargaining table and beyond–comes from our membership; each additional member strengthens our ability to bargain for better work conditions.
For further reading and information, see the links below:
Poverty, Productivity, and Public Health: The Effects of “Right to Work” Laws on Key Standards of Living
http://www.nea.org/home/52880.htm
Florida State Constitution on right to work.
“Right-to-work” states still have lower wages.
http://www.epi.org/publication/right-to-work-states-have-lower-wages/
Deceptive Right to Work Laws Hurt Everyone.
Pennsylvania State System on Strike
Thanks to UCF’s UFF Chapter for providing the template from which this was produced.
