[H-PAD] On the Struggle in F;orida

Wed May 17 13:42:46 PDT 2023

*Report on the Struggle in Florida and Request for Support*

*From PaulOrtiz, United Faculty of Florida*

*From:* Paul Ortiz <ortizprof at gmail.com>
*Date:* May 16, 2023 at 03:16:03 EDT
*Subject:* *Labor Update from Florida, Announcement of Union Lawsuit
Against Governor DeSantis*

Dear Colleagues,

Many of you have contacted me in recent days about the tyrannical,
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/05/desantis-signs-dei-bill__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olcFNdogQ$>
anti-union
legislation
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://myuff.org/press-release-sb-266-will-cause-irreversible-harm-to-floridas-higher-education-system/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onTveAbUw$>
being passed by the DeSantis regime in Florida. I am providing a brief
response to assure you that the United Faculty of Florida (FEA/AFL-CIO) is
engaged in a massive struggle
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/presidents-message-on-attacks-on-academic-freedom/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455omE6LAWzA$>
against the governor and his ruling class supporters
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2022/05/25/florida-desantis-notable-billionaire-supporters-koch-publix/9745715002/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455on-Ps4QjA$>.
Unfortunately, this struggle is not generally well covered in the corporate
media, reason being, the *Wall Street Journal*, and conservative voices
across the nation hold out the hope that DeSantis might serve as a
"reasonable alternative" to Donald Trump.

Due to the fact that thousands of students, faculty, unionized workers and
our allies raised their voices last year, we achieved a federal court
temporary injunction
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/good-news-update-on-stop-woke-act-hb-7-implementation-from-uff-uf-president-paul-ortiz/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455omXVeAJtA$>
against Florida's "Stop Woke Act" that is still holding strong. Our local
union chapter, UFF-UF took part in a successful boycott
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/uff-statement-on-the-viewpoint-discrimination-survey-do-not-participate/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455ol_AWak5w$>of
Florida's discriminatory "viewpoint discrimination" survey last spring. In
response to DeSantis's efforts to ban AP African American Studies during
Black History Month, our union co-sponsored a 3-hour teach in on Black
Studies
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://hnn.us/article/185124__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okgTkMiMg$>.
Even as we successfully resisted efforts to completely destroy tenure in
Florida
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/urgent-comment-on-post-tenure-review-by-march-9-2023/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455ol0R6cv1g$>,
defend gender studies and shared governance at UF, our union took time out
to pass a resolution in support of striking workers at Rutgers University
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/chapter-resolution-in-support-of-striking-workers-at-rutgers-university/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olxXxH4Jw$>and
to send a donation to the strike fund.

Ron DeSantis has learned that he cannot fully control the thoughts and
actions of Floridians
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/05/black-horror-white-terror-class?fbclid=IwAR0bfFcR8i5vAqeqsRhOZNebEo_9wUouXcoGxFFA4F8C0YzHUAzDIJQnVNc__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onUjXcE0w$>
as long as our public sector unions are standing. Each of our university
and college union chapters have strong academic freedom articles in our
collective bargaining agreements.  At the University of Florida, our
chapter's *Article Ten: Academic Freedom and Responsibility* is the gem of
our collective bargaining contract and a model for higher education union
agreements.

This is why the Republican super-majority in Florida last passed the
anti-union SB 256 requiring 60% union membership in our K-12 education
locals as well as higher ed chapters--but exempted police and firefighter's
unions. Much to the chagrin of the Republicans however, our chapters are in
the midst of a historic organizing campaign and signing up new members
every day.

I am also excited to report that The United Faculty of Florida, University
of Florida chapter has recently filed a complaint in federal court
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida-unions-file-lawsuits-over-desantis-union-busting-bill-and-prepare-for-fight-ahead-34172462?fbclid=IwAR0EO_kcp2D0vPoffAjhtkPGG7MiuvCzkHDMt3VkDn_ELI6WIvZiSE4Xf2Y__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okHE0ssiQ$>
alongside our colleagues in the K-12 Alachua County Education Association
and the Florida Education Association against DeSantis's efforts to crush
our unions. This lawsuit demonstrates the fact that the United Faculty of
Florida is not surrendering to the forces of authoritarianism and fascism
in Florida. You may read the text of our lawsuit here
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://feaweb.org/release/fea-files-federal-lawsuit-against-sb-256/?fbclid=IwAR2lSJ2H_zeSVDAPhBOb3VIEz1DaT0CATT3YXO2nyTiYMxqQcp-gvjkkO5M__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olvHvzaZg$>.
I am also providing the front piece and first page of our lawsuit to this
message. As a labor historian, I take special pleasure in the fact that we
are basing part of our argument on Article I, Section 10 of the Federal
Constitution, "the Contracts Clause," which so often in US history has been
used against us. (Progress after all!)

Tyranny and thought control will not prevail in the Sunshine State! I
invite you to read our chapter's website
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okvhXnOKw$>for
a chronicle of the struggles that we have waged over the past several years.
This Thursday, May 18 at 1pm, EST I will be giving a presentation titled:
"Holding the Line in Florida: Preserving Black Studies and Intellectual
Freedom in Florida Through Union Power," at the *Truth in Education:*
*24 Hour Teach-In for American Democracy. *This is a 24-hour teach in with
exciting themes and speakers as well as being an *action oriented *event. I
will be providing highlights from our recent struggles in the Sunshine
State. Here is the registration link
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.teachinfortruth.org__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okH-iSCMQ$>
for this event which begins on Wednesday. Please share!

In Solidarity,
Paul Ortiz

We want to send a message to Gov. DeSantis and others who are codifying
restrictions in teaching and stoking fear among educators.  We will be
offering action options throughout the 24 hours.  *WE NEED YOUR HELP to get
people to join the Teach-In as viewers.  Please post on social media and
tell your networks.*
*Registration for event.  Please post this!  **www.teachinfortruth.org
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.teachinfortruth.org/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onX8AP63A$>
(please
share this today!)*

-----------

Paul Ortiz
Director, Samuel Proctor Oral History Program
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://oral.history.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olCc09K7Q$>
Professor of History
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://history.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okycBeYrg$>,
University of Florida Research Foundation ProfessorUniversity of
Florida <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://antiracism.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okGNt3FZQ$>

Past President, United Faculty of Florida-UF
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.uff-uf.org/about-uff-uf/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onC_sXyuA$>
(FEA/NEA/AFT/AFL-CIO) [2020-2023]

Andor Skotnes
Professor of History Emeritus
Russell Sage College
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