March 5, 2026 • 10 mins
How's it possible that the group responsible for helping educators is actually hurting them and doing so with the teacher's own dues? Well, that's what unions do. Florida's Commissioner of Education, Anastasios Kamoutsas, weighed in on pending legislation.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, five past the hour. It is the third hour,
eight o'clock in the Eastern time zone for those of
you listening in the Central seven o'clock in the morning
on a Thursday, March fifth show five thy five hundred
and fifty six of the Morning Show with Preston Scott
and Preston. He is Jose and this is the Commissioner
of Education for the Sunshine State. Noastasios kamutsis Commissioner. How
(00:25):
are you today, doing.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, Preston, thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I've been paying attention. As you know, we talk about
what's going on in the legislature each and every week.
There's not a lot moving, but one that is getting
some attention and moving a little is House Bill nine
ninety five and Senate Bill twelve ninety six. And these
really revolve around the teachers union. Tell us a little
bit about these and your view of them.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, yes, sir. House Bill nine ninety five and Senate
Bill twelve ninety six provide a solution to a real
problem that is needed. Accountability and transparency are at the
forefront of what we're trying to achieve. When a union
gains bargaining authority. They have the exclusive right to negotiate pay, benefits,
(01:12):
and days off for every single employee, including those who
are not members of the union, and so this legislation
will require unions to demonstrate support from the majority of
teachers in the school district, before they can gain that
exclusive bargaining authority, not just the majority of those who
show up and decide to vote. If a union truly
has strong backing from educators meeting that threshold, this should
(01:35):
not be difficult, and quite frankly, teachers deserve organizations that
clearly represent their interests, not systems where the loudest few
speak for the silent majority. Critics of the bill have
tried to compare it to voting elections when that are
held for public office, but quite frankly, when has an
elected official ever taken office with only three votes, which
(01:59):
is what we saw take place at Fame You right
here in Tallahassee with the Graduate Assistance Union for recertification.
It's difficult to imagine any public officer claiming a position
under those circumstances. But in the case that Fame You,
the union gained exclusive authority to bargain on behalf of
more than two hundred graduate assistants with only three votes,
(02:21):
and let's not forget we deal with it. Year after
a year with the teachers salary increase funding, it still
has not been paid. Here in Leon County. There's still
trying to get to an agreement to be able to
get that pay increase for teachers because the union holds
it up through collective bargaining negotiations. And so this bill
(02:42):
would expedite that timeline to be able to get those
teachers the money that they rightfully deserve in their pockets faster.
And it would bring true accountability by making sure that
the union is representing the interests of the whole. The
union has really lost their way. I wrote an offed
recently on how they're focused on political activism and that's
(03:04):
truly been the driving force why this bill has received
so much traction.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Stasi, where is it right now in the House and
Senate in terms of the numbers, because I'm seeing that
the numbers needed is being whittled down, that it went
from fifty percent plus to twenty five percent? Where are we?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
During the Senate there was an amendment that was made
at the committee meeting this past week that dropped it
from fifty percent to twenty five percent, but required a
sixty percent majority in the House. It still has the
language that would require a fifty percent majority, And so
I know each this will work itself out through the process,
(03:48):
but I am very hopeful that we are going to
get something across the finish line. So many folks that
I've talked to across the state, including legislators, parents, teachers,
school board members, superintendents, have all clamored why there's this,
this these this bill is so important to get done.
You know again, I want to remind folks how we
(04:10):
got here. Teacher unions were originally created to represent educators. However,
too often they behave like political advocacy organizations as opposed
to workplace representatives. So you know, I have a litany
of reasons why these bills are so important to get
done and why the people, the citizens here in Florida
(04:30):
want to see you get through.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I know, Florida is the right to work state. So
how is it that a teachers union has any sway
over the pay of a teacher who is not part
of the union because they have.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
The exclusive bargaining authority. I mean, the way it's structured.
If you have in law, if you have a bargaining union,
they represent the whole. And so that is what we're
trying to make sure that, particularly the non union members,
we're trying to give them a voice by giving them
in an ability to step up and truly be represented
through these elections. On the back end, there was a
(05:06):
law change back in twenty twenty three that said, in
order for a union to maintain its certification and must
have a reach of sixty percent threshold of membership. If
it does not, it goes through this recertification process. And
so that's what we're talking about here. When it goes
through the recertification process and there's an election. On the
back end, current law says, well, majority of whoever votes
(05:29):
is how it will be dictated whether or not the
union gets to be recertified. What we're saying is, no,
you should have buy in from the majority. You should
have folks saying we want you to be the exclusive
bargaining agent for the collective whole in order for us
to continue to have you representing us. And so look,
(05:49):
I think it's very popular with teachers because imagine the
ability to negotiate separately for themselves kind of how the
private sector works, and even at the Department of Education.
I mean, we have over two thousand employees and you know,
a majority of which are not represented by the union.
So you know, there are a lot of misconceptions out there,
(06:10):
a lot of scare tactics that the union puts to
to try to encourage the worker to think that this
is somehow opposed to them. No, this is to benefit
the worker and give them a voice. You know. The
unions claiming that the bill somehow infringes on the constitutional
right to collectively bargain, but that's not true. The legislation
(06:31):
explicitly affirms the constitutional right to collectively bargain, but it
ensures that the unions receive the majority support before being
authorized as the sole bargaining entity. Well also made an
accurate state Oh go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Well, I mean one hundred percent agreement. I guess I'm
still driving back to How has that not been challenged
by just a teacher out there saying, you know what,
I don't want to be part of the union and
I don't want them dictating what happens to my how
I get paid or don't get paid.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Well, it's because it's allowable currently under the law. I mean,
you know, if you are the union is entitled to
serve as the exclusive bargaining agent if there is a
union representing the entity.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
And so if it's a right to work state, then
that makes a mockery of right to work laws. That
we got to change that. But anyway, okay, so what
has to happen to get this across the finish line.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
So it's on the floor in the Senate today. We're
hopeful that it'll get out and you know, be sent
over to the House and they would be able to
ask the same legislation, get it to the governor's death
to be able to get it signed, and and so
we are very helpful from that. But but I really,
you know, I want to emphasize again why we're here,
(07:48):
like this is not just we woke up one day
and decided that there needs to be a change. This
is dated back for years. But I'll start with just COVID.
This is the same union that we did their members'
dues to fight us to keep schools closed. This is
the same union that wasted the members dues to ensure
that students would not have access to course materials through
(08:11):
syllabi prior to registering for courses. This is the same
union that platform a well known activist who encouraged student
protests during school hours and and a student was struck
by a vehicle while protesting during school hours in West
Palmbich subsequent to that press conference. When organizations who are
(08:32):
entrusted with representing educators shift their focus from serving teachers
to advancing their political agendas, accountability becomes not just appropriate
but necessary. And I haven't even gotten to the spending.
Let's look at what the Teachers' Union has spent their
dues of the hard working members Sectory alone. Yeah, one
(08:53):
point three million for political consultants to assist the union
with political activities, eight hundred and six thousand in competent
station to its officers, two hundred and twenty one thousand
to research and polling services. I mean, the list goes on.
I think it's upwards of two point seven million dollars
that was wasted of their members to du is purely
on political activity. And again Leon County, they're holding the
(09:16):
teacher pay hostage. Lee County. The superintendent tries to get
pay incentives and encourage highly effective teachers to work in
the lowest performing schools. She gets sued by who the
union to try to block that move Duval County, two
long serving union leaders led guilty just recently to defrauding
their own union of about two point six million dollars. Yeah,
(09:37):
a clear breach of trust. Like issue after issue, year
after year, the union has proven why there is a
need for transparency and accountability. And I'm hopeful we're going
to get this done.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I hope so as well. Commissioner, thanks for the time
this morning.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Thank you so much, Gott bless you all right.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
He's Agmitisure of Education for Florida. Anastasio's Commutz is our
guest during the Morning You with Preston Scott M.
All right, five past the hour. It is the third hour,
eight o'clock in the Eastern time zone for those of
you listening in the Central seven o'clock in the morning
on a Thursday, March fifth show five thy five hundred
and fifty six of the Morning Show with Preston Scott
and Preston. He is Jose and this is the Commissioner
of Education for the Sunshine State. Noastasios kamutsis Commissioner. How
(00:25):
are you today, doing.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, Preston, thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I've been paying attention. As you know, we talk about
what's going on in the legislature each and every week.
There's not a lot moving, but one that is getting
some attention and moving a little is House Bill nine
ninety five and Senate Bill twelve ninety six. And these
really revolve around the teachers union. Tell us a little
bit about these and your view of them.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, yes, sir. House Bill nine ninety five and Senate
Bill twelve ninety six provide a solution to a real
problem that is needed. Accountability and transparency are at the
forefront of what we're trying to achieve. When a union
gains bargaining authority. They have the exclusive right to negotiate pay, benefits,
(01:12):
and days off for every single employee, including those who
are not members of the union, and so this legislation
will require unions to demonstrate support from the majority of
teachers in the school district, before they can gain that
exclusive bargaining authority, not just the majority of those who
show up and decide to vote. If a union truly
has strong backing from educators meeting that threshold, this should
(01:35):
not be difficult, and quite frankly, teachers deserve organizations that
clearly represent their interests, not systems where the loudest few
speak for the silent majority. Critics of the bill have
tried to compare it to voting elections when that are
held for public office, but quite frankly, when has an
elected official ever taken office with only three votes, which
(01:59):
is what we saw take place at Fame You right
here in Tallahassee with the Graduate Assistance Union for recertification.
It's difficult to imagine any public officer claiming a position
under those circumstances. But in the case that Fame You,
the union gained exclusive authority to bargain on behalf of
more than two hundred graduate assistants with only three votes,
(02:21):
and let's not forget we deal with it. Year after
a year with the teachers salary increase funding, it still
has not been paid. Here in Leon County. There's still
trying to get to an agreement to be able to
get that pay increase for teachers because the union holds
it up through collective bargaining negotiations. And so this bill
(02:42):
would expedite that timeline to be able to get those
teachers the money that they rightfully deserve in their pockets faster.
And it would bring true accountability by making sure that
the union is representing the interests of the whole. The
union has really lost their way. I wrote an offed
recently on how they're focused on political activism and that's
(03:04):
truly been the driving force why this bill has received
so much traction.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Stasi, where is it right now in the House and
Senate in terms of the numbers, because I'm seeing that
the numbers needed is being whittled down, that it went
from fifty percent plus to twenty five percent? Where are we?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
During the Senate there was an amendment that was made
at the committee meeting this past week that dropped it
from fifty percent to twenty five percent, but required a
sixty percent majority in the House. It still has the
language that would require a fifty percent majority, And so
I know each this will work itself out through the process,
(03:48):
but I am very hopeful that we are going to
get something across the finish line. So many folks that
I've talked to across the state, including legislators, parents, teachers,
school board members, superintendents, have all clamored why there's this,
this these this bill is so important to get done.
You know again, I want to remind folks how we
(04:10):
got here. Teacher unions were originally created to represent educators. However,
too often they behave like political advocacy organizations as opposed
to workplace representatives. So you know, I have a litany
of reasons why these bills are so important to get
done and why the people, the citizens here in Florida
(04:30):
want to see you get through.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I know, Florida is the right to work state. So
how is it that a teachers union has any sway
over the pay of a teacher who is not part
of the union because they have.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
The exclusive bargaining authority. I mean, the way it's structured.
If you have in law, if you have a bargaining union,
they represent the whole. And so that is what we're
trying to make sure that, particularly the non union members,
we're trying to give them a voice by giving them
in an ability to step up and truly be represented
through these elections. On the back end, there was a
(05:06):
law change back in twenty twenty three that said, in
order for a union to maintain its certification and must
have a reach of sixty percent threshold of membership. If
it does not, it goes through this recertification process. And
so that's what we're talking about here. When it goes
through the recertification process and there's an election. On the
back end, current law says, well, majority of whoever votes
(05:29):
is how it will be dictated whether or not the
union gets to be recertified. What we're saying is, no,
you should have buy in from the majority. You should
have folks saying we want you to be the exclusive
bargaining agent for the collective whole in order for us
to continue to have you representing us. And so look,
(05:49):
I think it's very popular with teachers because imagine the
ability to negotiate separately for themselves kind of how the
private sector works, and even at the Department of Education.
I mean, we have over two thousand employees and you know,
a majority of which are not represented by the union.
So you know, there are a lot of misconceptions out there,
(06:10):
a lot of scare tactics that the union puts to
to try to encourage the worker to think that this
is somehow opposed to them. No, this is to benefit
the worker and give them a voice. You know. The
unions claiming that the bill somehow infringes on the constitutional
right to collectively bargain, but that's not true. The legislation
(06:31):
explicitly affirms the constitutional right to collectively bargain, but it
ensures that the unions receive the majority support before being
authorized as the sole bargaining entity. Well also made an
accurate state Oh go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Well, I mean one hundred percent agreement. I guess I'm
still driving back to How has that not been challenged
by just a teacher out there saying, you know what,
I don't want to be part of the union and
I don't want them dictating what happens to my how
I get paid or don't get paid.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Well, it's because it's allowable currently under the law. I mean,
you know, if you are the union is entitled to
serve as the exclusive bargaining agent if there is a
union representing the entity.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
And so if it's a right to work state, then
that makes a mockery of right to work laws. That
we got to change that. But anyway, okay, so what
has to happen to get this across the finish line.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
So it's on the floor in the Senate today. We're
hopeful that it'll get out and you know, be sent
over to the House and they would be able to
ask the same legislation, get it to the governor's death
to be able to get it signed, and and so
we are very helpful from that. But but I really,
you know, I want to emphasize again why we're here,
(07:48):
like this is not just we woke up one day
and decided that there needs to be a change. This
is dated back for years. But I'll start with just COVID.
This is the same union that we did their members'
dues to fight us to keep schools closed. This is
the same union that wasted the members dues to ensure
that students would not have access to course materials through
(08:11):
syllabi prior to registering for courses. This is the same
union that platform a well known activist who encouraged student
protests during school hours and and a student was struck
by a vehicle while protesting during school hours in West
Palmbich subsequent to that press conference. When organizations who are
(08:32):
entrusted with representing educators shift their focus from serving teachers
to advancing their political agendas, accountability becomes not just appropriate
but necessary. And I haven't even gotten to the spending.
Let's look at what the Teachers' Union has spent their
dues of the hard working members Sectory alone. Yeah, one
(08:53):
point three million for political consultants to assist the union
with political activities, eight hundred and six thousand in competent
station to its officers, two hundred and twenty one thousand
to research and polling services. I mean, the list goes on.
I think it's upwards of two point seven million dollars
that was wasted of their members to du is purely
on political activity. And again Leon County, they're holding the
(09:16):
teacher pay hostage. Lee County. The superintendent tries to get
pay incentives and encourage highly effective teachers to work in
the lowest performing schools. She gets sued by who the
union to try to block that move Duval County, two
long serving union leaders led guilty just recently to defrauding
their own union of about two point six million dollars. Yeah,
(09:37):
a clear breach of trust. Like issue after issue, year
after year, the union has proven why there is a
need for transparency and accountability. And I'm hopeful we're going
to get this done.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I hope so as well. Commissioner, thanks for the time
this morning.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Thank you so much, Gott bless you all right.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
He's Agmitisure of Education for Florida. Anastasio's Commutz is our
guest during the Morning You with Preston Scott M.
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