Important News for Members

Palm Beach County Schools
By a vote of 539 to 31, we ratified our medical plan earlier this month.  "This is a good day for all the workers at Palm Beach County Schools," said workplace and COPE activist Lovie Fulse.  "We voted overwhelmingly to keep those higher premium payments in our pockets.  At a workplace with no union, we'd have simply been told what management had decided for us -- no questions asked.  I like our being able to approve or reject the plan by voting on it.  That's what being part of FPSU makes possible for us."


Pinellas County Member Activists Install a "Paris Garden"
Eight-year-old Paris Whitehead-Hamilton was killed by gang gunfire earlier this year in St. Petersburg's Bartlett Park neighborhood.  Several FPSU members honored her memory by planting a "Paris Garden" in a Bartlett Park neighbor's front yard on December 12th.

Paris gardens are made of drought-resistant plants that are native to Florida.  They're not only better for the environment than traditional, grass lawns but encourage residents to use and enjoy their front yards.  That encourages neighbors to get to know one-another and reduces crime by putting more "eyes on the street."

"Our union is about helping people -- and not just at work," said City of St. Petersburg Stormwater Technician and FPSU activist, Andre Allen.  "My fellow members and I saw this as an opportunity to honor the memory of Paris, do something good for a neighbor and make the city a little 'greener' at the same time."

Members volunteered their Saturday and worked hard in the Florida sun

Pinellas County Schools
Our monthly chapter meeting scheduled for Saturday, January 9th will not take place.  All members are encouraged to attend our local's Constitutional Convention in Orlando that day.  We'll be back on schedule in February when we meet on Saturday, the 13th.

Check  Pinellas Schools 12-09 Calendar for helpful information and December happenings for our unit.

Glades County Schools

Members voted on our new contract on December 4th.  It was approved by an 80% to 20% margin.

"I don't need to tell anyone these are lean, economic times," said chapter chair Pearl Ann Hines.  "Based on the percentage who voted to approve, I think the sentiment among our members is that it's good having our rights spelled out in a new, binding, legal contract.  We're all looking for an improving economy and better days ahead."

Lake County Schools
A big grievance victory was reported at the last chapter meeting.  Management unilaterally declared Lost Lake Elementary a "closed campus."  That meant that once workers reported for work, they were denied the right to leave the campus until their shift ended.  How crazy is that?

We grieved that and our folks at Lost Lake now enjoy the same rights of free association as other Americans!  They're free to come and go during their unpaid meal breaks -- just as at every other Lake County Schools facility.

How would we have fought that ridiculous rule without our union?  We couldn't.  It would have been comply or quit!