Despite Gov. DeSantis' union crackdowns, AFSCME Florida keeps winning

Source: Florida Politics

Labor groups are preparing for another organizing fight as new recertification requirements take effect July 1.

Jesse Scheckner

June 28, 2026 14min

Three years after Florida enacted sweeping restrictions on public-sector unions, AFSCME Florida continues to post lopsided recertification victories across the state, with workers in Jacksonville, Polk County, Miami Gardens, DeFuniak Springs and Naples all voting overwhelmingly in recent weeks to retain union representation.

The results show that one of Florida’s largest public-sector unions has adapted to — and, by its own account, overcome — the challenges posed by a 2023 law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that imposed new membership and recertification requirements on many government-worker unions.

AFSCME Florida reported in December that it won 30 of 32 recertification elections in 2025. Some of the wins included bargaining units that lost certification during the turbulent early implementation of the 2023 law, but rebuilt membership and won recognition back.

The latest success came this week, when Jacksonville city employees represented by AFSCME Local 1279 voted more than 98% in favor of recertification.

Read more: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/804188-despite-gov-desantis-union-crackdowns-afscme-florida-keeps-winning/