AFSCME Florida

To opt out of AFSCME Florida dues:

Enter your information into the form below and click “submit.”
On the resulting page, click the link to open your customized form. You will also receive an email with a link to your form.
Print the form. If you check the appropriate box about needing a printed version, we’ll mail you a copy of the form.
Sign and date the form.
Mail one copy to the union’s address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.
Mail another copy to your employer’s payroll office.

*Please note: According to the union’s opt-out policy, you will need to send one copy of your form to AFSCME Florida, and another copy to your employer.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 79 (“AFSCME Florida”), operating on behalf its various local affiliates, is the designated union for approximately 18,000 state, local government, university, and school district employees in Florida.

Those who find themselves in a union-represented workplace should know that Florida law has long protected public employees from being forced to financially support a union against their will. Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v. AFSCME reaffirmed that all public employees have a constitutional right to choose for themselves whether to pay union dues.

You can opt out of AFSCME Florida dues by filling out the form above, printing it and mailing it to the union.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I send my resignation to the union?

In most cases, union dues are automatically deducted from employees’ paychecks. According to AFSCME Florida’s opt-out policy, dues deductions will cease 30 days after your form is received, so you should receive some acknowledgement of your request from the union and/or your employer within a few weeks.

Monitor your paychecks to make sure the dues deductions stop. If the deductions continue for more than a few pay periods after submitting your opt-out request, contact your employer’s payroll office.

Finally, if the union and/or your employer refuse to cancel dues deductions from your pay, ask them to provide you with written documentation and contact us for assistance.

How much are AFSCME Florida dues?

According to federal filings, dues for AFSCME Florida range from $232 to $487 per year. However, the total amount that members pay may be significantly greater as a result of dues charged by locals and the international union.

Will the union continue to represent me if I opt out?

Yes. AFSCME Florida has arranged to be the “exclusive representative” of its bargaining units, meaning it is impossible for workers to get out of the terms of the contract, even if they cease paying dues.

In exchange for the monopoly on this particular service, AFSCME Florida is legally obligated to represent all employees in the workplace, including those who choose not to join the union as members.

The collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union and your employer will continue to set the terms and conditions of your employment and the union will continue to represent you in grievances, contract enforcement, discipline assistance or other proceedings governed by the collective bargaining agreement.

Will I lose wages, health care, retirement or other benefits if I opt out?

No. All provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the union and your employer will continue to govern your employment. Your wages, health benefits, retirement and anything else governed by the collective bargaining agreement will remain unchanged if you opt out of AFSCME FL.

How will my relationship with the union change if I opt out?

While the terms of the contract will still govern your employment, union officials commonly prohibit nonmembers from participating in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings, voting for union officers or participating in contract ratification votes. You’ll also be ineligible for any special “members only” benefits, such as discounts on additional insurance, scholarship programs, or deals the union has arranged with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.

Why do people opt out of the union?

People have many reasons for not wanting to support the union. Some simply do not believe the services the union provides are worth the dues it charges. Others may find the union’s one-size-fits-all agenda does not serve them well because they are new to the profession, have a specialty that is not acknowledged in bargaining, or they believe their effectiveness is undercompensated. Some resent the union’s role in enabling and defending underperforming employees. Many find the union’s political activity and use of dues to advance partisan causes, candidates and ideology distasteful. Still others believe that union officials are corrupt and unaccountable to their membership.

Unions representing public employees are not governed by the usual consumer protection or anti-trust laws, so abuses are common. Unions can charge whatever they wish. They can spend dues money on anything they want. Often, they do not have to disclose how dues money is spent to members. They can speak for employees without consulting or informing them. They can injure some members’ interests while advancing the interests of others. Unions even have the ability to prevent employees from getting help in their workplace from other sources. They are not governed by any obligation to provide quality service, and almost never have to seek approval of the people they represent in an election to continue as the exclusive representative.

Sometimes people have a faith-based objection to unions’ expenditures. To learn more about the major public unions’ expenditures in light of common faith beliefs click here.

How does AFSCME Florida spend my dues money?

AFSCME Florida

AFSCME Florida collected $6.6 million from its members in 2022, according to reports the union must file with the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

In 2022 alone:

$1.4 million went to AFSCME International, headquartered in Washington, D.C., to support its massive political, economic and social agenda. AFSCME International regularly supports a host of controversial organizations.
$451,700 was spent by AFSCME Florida on political activity and lobbying.
$766,600 was paid or contributed to a variety of outside organizations.
$418,300 was spent on private attorneys and consultants.
$148,600 was spent on hotel venues and travel for union staff.

AFSCME Florida paid 56 employees in 2022. President Vicki Hall’s compensation was $175,187.

AFSCME Florida has a stockpile of cash amounting to $3.8 million.

AFSCME Florida’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

A portion of the dues paid by AFSCME Florida members goes to AFSCME International in Washington, D.C.

AFSCME International

According to a report that the union must file with the Department of Labor, AFSCME International collected $177 million from its members nationwide in 2022.

In that year alone:

$60 million was spent by AFSCME on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying. This included $200,000 paid to the far left organization Action for Liberation and $15,200 of campaign support for Stacey Abrams, a radical left political figure in Georgia.
$3.6 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations. This includes $100,000 donated to the Center For American Progress Action Fund, a left-wing organization that promotes radical social and economic policies.
$3.3 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff.
$976,875 was spent on attorneys and legal fees.
$193,310 was spent on food and catering.

AFSCME paid 486 employees in 2022, 224 of whom were paid six figures. AFSCME’s international president, Lee Saunders, was paid $384,155.

AFSCME’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.