University of South Florida Workers lose union and rights under anti-worker Florida law

Tampa, FL – On October 2, 355 University of South Florida (USF) employees discovered they would no longer be working for the state of Florida. Instead, beginning on December 1, custodial, groundskeeping and maintenance workers have a choice to work for a private dining and facilities contractor, Compass Group, or else find another job.

In 2023, Senate Bill 256 passed in the state of Florida. SB 256 is among the most anti-union labor laws in the country and effectively decertifies any unionized bargaining unit in the public sector that does not meet a bar of at least 60% dues-paying membership. The bill also makes it harder for workers to pay their dues by banning voluntary automatic payroll reduction.

Until recently, the USF workers were represented by AFSCME Local 3342 but now are among 68,000 public employees who have since lost their unions in Florida since the law passed. With the loss of unions, public-sector employees have no avenue to prevent privatization or changes to their employers’ and terms of employment. The aftermath for the 355 USF workers from SB 256 decertifying the AFSCME bargaining unit is unknown.

USF claims that it will save $320 million in costs over the life of the 15-year contract with Compass, and it is offering a signing bonus to workers who decide to transition to the new company. However, those who make the switch to Compass will lose their state pension retirement plan, which requires being a state employee. Additionally, the future of these workers’ pay is up to the Compass Group to decide unilaterally, now that the workers have no union. At the same time as the workers futures are uncertain, USF spent $47 million on a signing bonus with Southeast Services Corporation, a Compass Group subsidiary.

Since the loss of their unions last year under the new law, it is reported that around 2000 USF employees will no longer have collective bargaining rights to fight for higher pay, their pension, or their job protections. Another effect is that, with no union, the workers had no advance warning of the deal with the Compass Group and no way to stop it or bargain over effects on terms and conditions of employment if they wanted to do so.

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