<div dir="ltr"><div><div style="min-height:100%"><div class="gmail-nH" style="width:2160px"><div class="gmail-nH" style=""><div class="gmail-nH gmail-aqk gmail-aql gmail-bkL" style="display:flex;background-color:transparent"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-bkK" style="overflow:hidden"><div class="gmail-nH" style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.8);border-radius:16px;margin-bottom:16px;overflow-y:hidden"><div class="gmail-nH"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-ar4 gmail-z"><div class="gmail-aeI"><div class="gmail-AO" style=""><div id="gmail-:3" class="gmail-Tm gmail-aeJ" style="background:none;overflow-y:scroll;padding-right:0px;height:650px"><div id="gmail-:1" class="gmail-aeF" style="padding:0px;vertical-align:bottom;min-height:460.193px"><div class="gmail-nH"><div class="gmail-nH" role="main"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-g"><table class="gmail-Bs gmail-nH gmail-iY gmail-bAt" cellpadding="0" role="presentation" style="border-spacing:0px;padding:0px;border-collapse:collapse;background:rgb(255,255,255);min-height:64ex;display:block;width:1872.1px"><tbody><tr class="gmail-aTN"><td class="gmail-Bu" style="vertical-align:top;padding:0px"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-a98 gmail-iY" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;min-height:64ex;margin:0px;padding-right:16px"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-aHU" style=""><div class="gmail-nH gmail-hx" style="background-color:transparent;min-width:502px;padding:0px"><div class="gmail-nH" role="list"><div class="gmail-h7 gmail-ie gmail-nH gmail-oy8Mbf" role="listitem" aria-expanded="true" tabindex="-1" style="padding-bottom:0px;max-width:100000px;clear:both;outline:none"><div class="gmail-Bk" style="margin-bottom:0px;border-width:0px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:initial;border-bottom-style:initial;border-left-style:initial;border-top-color:rgb(239,239,239);border-right-color:initial;border-left-color:initial;border-bottom-color:initial;border-radius:0px;width:1856.11px"><div class="gmail-G3 gmail-G2" style="border-top:none;padding-top:0px;background-color:transparent;border-right:0px;border-bottom:0px rgba(100,121,143,0.12);border-left:0px;border-radius:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div><div id="gmail-:4l7"><div class="gmail-adn gmail-ads" style="border-left:none;padding:0px;display:flex"><div class="gmail-gs" style="margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:1784.12px"><div class="gmail-"><div id="gmail-:4a2" class="gmail-ii gmail-gt" style="direction:ltr;margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px;font-size:0.875rem"><div id="gmail-:4a3" class="gmail-a3s gmail-aiL" style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:small;line-height:1.5;overflow:hidden"><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="auto"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Paul Ortiz <<a href="mailto:ortizprof@gmail.com" target="_blank">ortizprof@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Date:</b> May 16, 2023 at 03:16:03 EDT<br><b>To:</b> "Ortiz,Paul" <<a href="mailto:ortizprof@gmail.com" target="_blank">ortizprof@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Labor Update from Florida, Announcement of Union Lawsuit Against Governor DeSantis</b><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><p>Dear Colleagues,</p><p>Many of you have contacted me in recent days about the<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/05/desantis-signs-dei-bill__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olcFNdogQ$" target="_blank"> tyrannical,</a> <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://myuff.org/press-release-sb-266-will-cause-irreversible-harm-to-floridas-higher-education-system/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onTveAbUw$" target="_blank">anti-union legislation</a> 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 <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/presidents-message-on-attacks-on-academic-freedom/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455omE6LAWzA$" target="_blank">massive struggle</a> against the governor and his <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2022/05/25/florida-desantis-notable-billionaire-supporters-koch-publix/9745715002/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455on-Ps4QjA$" target="_blank">ruling class supporters</a>. Unfortunately, this struggle is not generally well covered in the corporate media, reason being, the <i>Wall Street Journal</i>, and conservative voices across the nation hold out the hope that DeSantis might serve as a "reasonable alternative" to Donald Trump.<br></p><p>Due to the fact that thousands of students, faculty, unionized workers and our allies raised their voices last year, we achieved a <a href="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$" target="_blank">federal court temporary injunction</a> against Florida's "Stop Woke Act" that is still holding strong. Our local union chapter, <span dir="auto">UFF-UF took part in a <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/uff-statement-on-the-viewpoint-discrimination-survey-do-not-participate/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455ol_AWak5w$" target="_blank">successful boycott </a>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 <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://hnn.us/article/185124__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okgTkMiMg$" target="_blank">3-hour teach in on Black Studies</a>. Even as we <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/urgent-comment-on-post-tenure-review-by-march-9-2023/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455ol0R6cv1g$" target="_blank">successfully resisted efforts to completely destroy tenure in Florida</a>, defend gender studies and shared governance at UF, our union took time out to <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/chapter-resolution-in-support-of-striking-workers-at-rutgers-university/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olxXxH4Jw$" target="_blank">pass a resolution in support of striking workers at Rutgers University </a>and to send a donation to the strike fund.<br></span></p><p><span dir="auto">Ron DeSantis has learned that <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/05/black-horror-white-terror-class?fbclid=IwAR0bfFcR8i5vAqeqsRhOZNebEo_9wUouXcoGxFFA4F8C0YzHUAzDIJQnVNc__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onUjXcE0w$" target="_blank">he cannot fully control the thoughts and actions of Floridians</a> 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 <i>Article Ten: Academic Freedom and Responsibility</i> is the gem of our collective bargaining contract and a model for higher education union agreements. <br></span></p><p><span dir="auto">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.<br></span></p><p><span dir="auto">I am also excited to report that The United Faculty of Florida, University of Florida chapter has recently filed a <a href="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$" target="_blank">complaint in federal court</a> alongside our colleagues in the K-12 Alachua County Education Association and the Florida Education Association against DeSantis's efforts to crush our unions. This lawsuit demonstrates the fact that the United Faculty of Florida is not surrendering to the forces of authoritarianism and fascism in Florida. You may read the text of our lawsuit <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://feaweb.org/release/fea-files-federal-lawsuit-against-sb-256/?fbclid=IwAR2lSJ2H_zeSVDAPhBOb3VIEz1DaT0CATT3YXO2nyTiYMxqQcp-gvjkkO5M__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olvHvzaZg$" target="_blank">here</a>. 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!)<br></span></p><p><span dir="auto">Tyranny and thought control will not prevail in the Sunshine State! I invite you to read our chapter's<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uff-uf.org/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okvhXnOKw$" target="_blank"> website </a>for a chronicle of the struggles that we have waged over the past several years.<br></span></p>This Thursday, May 18 at 1pm, EST I will be giving a presentation titled: "Holding the Line in Florida: Preserving Black Studies and Intellectual Freedom in Florida Through Union Power," at the <i>Truth in Education:</i><br><i>24 Hour Teach-In for American Democracy. </i>This is a 24-hour teach in with exciting themes and speakers as well as being an <i>action oriented </i>event. I will be providing highlights from our recent struggles in the Sunshine State. Here is the registration<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.teachinfortruth.org__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okH-iSCMQ$" target="_blank"> link</a> for this event which begins on Wednesday. Please share!<br><p>In Solidarity,</p>Paul Ortiz<p></p><div><br></div><div><div>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. <b><u>WE NEED YOUR HELP to get people to join the Teach-In as viewers. Please post on social media and tell your networks.</u></b></div><div><b><font size="4">Registration for event. Please post this! </font></b><b><font size="4"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.teachinfortruth.org/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onX8AP63A$" target="_blank">www.teachinfortruth.org</a> (please share this today!)</font></b></div><div><p>-----------<br></p><pre cols="72" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Paul Ortiz
Director, <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://oral.history.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455olCc09K7Q$" target="_blank">Samuel Proctor Oral History Program</a>
Professor of <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://history.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okycBeYrg$" target="_blank">History</a>,
University of Florida Research Foundation Professor
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://antiracism.ufl.edu/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455okGNt3FZQ$" target="_blank">University of Florida</a>
Past President, <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.uff-uf.org/about-uff-uf/__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455onC_sXyuA$" target="_blank">United Faculty of Florida-UF</a> (FEA/NEA/AFT/AFL-CIO) [2020-2023]
<i> </i>
<i><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.democracynow.org/2022/10/4/richard_wright_s_legacy_of_exposing__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455omyzpYCYw$" target="_blank">Richard Wright and the 1919 Elaine Massacre</a>
Democracy Now
</i>
<i> </i> <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTqEpSTf82A&t=76s__;!!OToaGQ!qAPpNfQIkd4kcpByBhty4Z_wh_8cA1kxrCAcUb1UCRLhthhaYCVxSxEXIFek7Ihvbzu3l3455ol4jAeh6A$" target="_blank">Oscar Mack vs. the Ku Klux Klan in Florida</a> (1922)
A Film by the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program
April 12, 2023</pre><b><font size="4"></font></b></div><div><b><font size="4"><br></font></b></div></div><div><br><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><th valign="BASELINE" nowrap align="RIGHT"><br></th><td><br></td></tr><tr><th valign="BASELINE" nowrap align="RIGHT"><br></th><td><br></td></tr><tr><th valign="BASELINE" nowrap align="RIGHT"><br></th><td><br></td></tr><tr><th valign="BASELINE" nowrap align="RIGHT"><br></th><td><br></td></tr><tr><th valign="BASELINE" nowrap align="RIGHT"><br></th><td><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><p></p><div><br><div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><br></div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><font size="4">Margaret M. Power</font></b></div><div><i><b><font size="4">Solidarity Across the Americas: The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and Anti-imperialism</font></b></i></div><div> <a href="https://www.uncpress.org/book/9781469674056/solidarity-across-the-americas/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:AppleSystemUIFont;font-size:17.3333px" target="_blank">https://www.uncpress.org/book/9781469674056/solidarity-across-the-americas/</a></div><strong style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:17px">I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land I am on today, the Kickapoo, and pay my respects to their elders past and present.</strong><br><div><strong style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:17px"><br></strong></div></div></div></div></div>