A golden color scale along with a hammer board

Florida School District Sues Over 50% Law

Florida recently passed a law requiring unions to have at least 50% membership in a bargaining unit in order to remain that district’s exclusive representative.  Another district is suing because its numbers are not high enough to sustain their exclusive representative status.   Lynn Hatter has the story on wfsu.org.

Leon, Wakulla and Nassau County teachers are in danger of losing their union representation if membership doesn’t get above 50 percent. Now a statewide teachers union is challenging the new rule in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Leon County Circuit court.

Part of a new law says at least half of eligible teachers in a district have to pay dues to their local union or risk the union’s standing. The statewide teachers group, the Florida Education Association, wants a court to overturn the provision. if a judge rules in its favor it could result in the entire law being tossed. That same law lets bullied kids to transfer to other public schools or receive money to attend a private one.