AFSCME Florida Council 79 President and International VP Vicki Hall released the following statement today following the signing of SB 256:

“Freedom has always been earned from the bottom up. That is why we believe the collective voice of workers will overcome SB 256’s goal of silencing Florida’s dedicated public workers by stripping them of their freedom to speak up collectively and their right to join a union. Make no mistake, today is not the end, it is the start of the next chapter in our fight for justice, equality and freedom at work.

 Adrian Andrews of WFSU interviewed AFSCME Florida's Nat Bender, who pointed out that "while most state workers will see their pay go up, the state is also placing more roadblocks on their ability to join a union. SB 256, a plan to eliminate automatic salary withdrawals for union dues, is moving forward over the objections of public employee unions." 

Bender said, “We believe the intent of it is to discourage union members by procedurally making it more difficult for the members to exercise their freedom to join the union.”