Retirees encourage Floridians to stick with their union

group of NYSUT retirees traveled to Dade County Florida in August to encourage United Teachers of Dade members to stick with their union. In early May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it illegal for school districts to automatically collect union dues through payroll deduction and required that all locals have at least 60 percent of their members registered as dues payers by the end of October or face automatic dissolution. The NYSUT retiree activists joined volunteers from across the nation to help UT Dade members sign up to pay their dues through their bank accounts. They also encouraged them to vote yes on the union’s new contract. Spearheaded by Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar, and supported by the American Federation of Teachers, both efforts were successful.

Florence McCue, ED 51-53 at-large retiree director; Diane Torstup, RC 16; Caren Levant, RC 15; and Miriam Hanan, RC 43 retiree consultant helped register Florida unionists for automatic dues payments. McCue is pictured at the far right with other volunteers.