Florida News & Legislation

Right to Work State

Florida is a Right to Work State. Employees who work in Florida, except on federal property or for a railway or airline, have a right to resign from union membership and not pay union dues or fees. If you are an employee in Florida and have legal questions regarding your union membership, click here to learn about your rights.

Florida Right to Work News

» Call Him 'Brad "Nowhere to Flee" Sherman'

August 6, 2008 - Launch of Right to Work Repeal Tips Big Labor's Hand For 2009 (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Families Flee Compulsory-Unionism States

May 26, 2008 - 'Right to Work States Are Simply Better For Raising Children' (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Committee PAC Aids Pro-Right to Work Candidates

April 7, 2008 - Union Bosses Have Already Begun Their Federal Electoral Assault (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Right to Work States Excel in Manufacturing

August 20, 2007 - Since 2000, Output Growth More Than Triple Forced-Dues States' (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the National Right to Work Act

September 8, 2005 - Earlier today, the House Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, and Government Programs held hearings on the National Right to Work Act (H.R. 500/S. 370) -- a bill designed to end forced unionism nationwide.

Florida Congressional Representatives

Contact your Florida Congressmen to voice your support for Right to Work! We need help from grassroots supporters like you to protect workers' rights and to stop Big Labor's rampant abuses. If you don't know your Florida Congressional District, enter your ZIP Code and your ZIP+4 extension below to look it up:

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Florida Legislative Alerts

Click here to access legislative alerts for Florida.

Florida Right to Work Law

Fla. Const. Article 1, § 6
§ 6. Right to Work

The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike. (Adopted at General Election November 5, 1968.)

Fla. Stat. Ann. § 447.17
§ 447.17 Civil remedy; injunctive relief

(1) Any person who may be denied employment or discriminated against in his employment on account of membership or nonmembership in any labor union or labor organization shall be entitled to recover from the discriminating employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association, acting separately or in concert, in the courts of this state, such damages as he may have sustained and the costs of suit, including reasonable attorney's fees. If such employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association acted willfully and with malice or reckless indifference to the rights of others, punitive damages may be assessed against such employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association.

(2) Any person sustaining injury as a result of any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this section shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violation.

(3) The remedy and relief provided for by this section shall not be available to public employees as defined in part II of this chapter. (Enacted 1974; amended 1977.)

NOTE: State laws are in a constant state of flux. Before relying on the text of any state Right to Work statute, you should check the most recent edition of your state laws.