Florida Just Showed Pennsylvania How It’s Done on Government Union Reform

Florida’s legislature just passed a bill that continues the state’s recent reforms targeting government unions—and Pennsylvania should watch closely.

Florida’s Senate Bill (SB) 1296 creates a first-of-its-kind condition for union elections. The new law would require a 50 percent turnout for an election to be legally binding. If fewer than half of the eligible members vote, the union automatically loses.

Simply put, no turnout, no union.

Florida’s bill also:

• Restricts union release time, the practice of putting government employees on the public payroll while they do union work.
• Adds a paycheck protection measure that gives workers genuine control over how their unions collect and spend their dues.

Advocates also pushed for a stronger standard requiring a union to earn majority support from the entire bargaining unit, not just those who show up. But lawmakers dropped the provision.

These reforms follow on the heels of major reforms that Florida passed. In 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that:

• Increased recertification requirements, mandating a union election whenever membership in a workplace falls below 60 percent.
• Establishing regular financial audits by independent, certified accountants.
• Empowered union members to revoke their membership “without any reason.”
• Required unions to publicly list their fees and dues for prospective members.

Since the new law took effect last year, dozens of public sector unions have lost certification due to a lack of popular support.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania government workers lack the same basic protections.

Pennsylvania, by contrast, still operates under the Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) of 1970. The 55-year-old law allows a union to win certification regardless of how few workers show up to vote. Under PERA, a certified union never has to stand for reelection, giving it a permanent monopoly over all workers—even those who voted against it.

Even worse, Pennsylvania government unions continue to use public payrolls to collect dues and spend them on political electioneering, lobbying, and activism.

Pennsylvania should take note: Florida is leading the nation in worker transparency and union accountability.