AFSCME Local 3535 Overcomes Union-Busting Law with Strong Contract

In South Florida, the City of Dania Beach stands as a testament to resilience, as union members face legislative challenges with renewed vigor and a fortified contract.

Willis Washington, who leads Local 3535 of AFSCME Florida, recently celebrated a significant victory with the ratification of a three-year labor contract.

The agreement introduces a minimum 6% cost-of-living adjustment and ensures annual salary increments of at least 4%. Additionally, there is a 20% pay increase for the lowest and highest pay grades to address historically low wages.

However, this triumph is tempered by the constraints of SB256, a law introduced by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023. The legislation mandates that at least 60% of a bargaining unit must be dues-paying members to avoid annual recertification elections.

There were initial concerns about meeting the recertification criteria, but these fears were unfounded. Washington and the union leadership successfully garnered the necessary backing while also securing a fair contract.

“Over the years we have made sure that the contributions we make to this part of the Sunshine State are well known and, more importantly, we have shown that we are a united team when it comes to the issues we are facing on the job,” said Washington, a lead utility worker for the city.

He further emphasized, “It really helped for the members to see that this union is not just fighting to help them make ends meet but to get ahead in a part of the country that is facing extreme income inequality challenges.”

The collective strength and strategic contract provisions have prepared the union for the challenges posed by SB256.

The new law also eliminates dues deduction from paychecks, necessitating unions to switch to electronic dues collection methods. Furthermore, it enforces stringent financial audit requirements and increased paperwork for union officials and members.

Shortly after approving their new contract, members of Local 3535 unanimously voted to recertify, transitioning their dues collection to the secure UPAY system.

This recertification is the latest in a series of successful recertification elections in Florida, with AFSCME members achieving victory in 21 out of 23 elections over the past two years, signaling that SB256's objectives of weakening unions have largely fallen short.