‘Threatens teachers’ rights:’ Local union navigates challenges of new state law

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local teachers union said it fights to protect district employees and students, but new numbers given to Action News Jax show declining membership in Duval.

Duval Teachers United is the collective bargaining agent for staff members at Duval County Public Schools.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

“We negotiate contracts to secure the best possible working conditions and wages for our members. Our union provides representation, ensures due process upholds contracts, and offers professional development and support to both new and veteran educators,” President Tammie Brooks-Evans said in an emailed statement.

Senate Bill 256 was signed into law last year and states public sector unions must meet a threshold of 60% of members paying dues to stay active. However, it does not apply to law enforcement, firefighters, or correctional officer unions.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

“Despite challenges like Senate Bill 256, which threatens teachers’ rights to unionize, DTU remains strong and resilient,” Brooks-Evans said.

DCPS said it no longer collects data on the percentage of employees in the union, but the most recent numbers show a drop in membership from about 40% of all district employees in the 2021-22 school year to just more than 24% in the 2022-23 school year.

It raises questions about the future of the union. “If we don’t have those things — how many more teachers are we going to lose?” Chris Guerrieri, a veteran DCPS teacher and union member, said. “There’s a big concern about that. And we can’t collective bargaining — are we going to be at the whims of the school board? Of the state?”

DTU said it still represents the majority and its membership continues to grow and “thrives on communicating the benefits of belonging”.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.