The state’s largest teachers’ union joined with other labor groups Monday in suing to overturn a new 3 percent payroll contribution for the 655,000 workers who belong to the Florida Retirement System, claiming the change violates a 37-year-old contractual agreement with public employees.

The lawsuit was filed in Leon County Circuit Court. But Ron Meyer, a lawyer for the Florida Education Association which filed the suit on behalf of 11 government workers who are members of the FRS, said it will likely wind up being settled in coming months by the Florida Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the 3 percent contributions, which kick-in July 1, should be segregated in a state account, awaiting the  legal outcome, Meyer said. Documents requesting an injunction to set aside the money has been filed by the FEA with Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford, who has been assigned the case

“We believe a promise is a promise and the state of Florida should live by the promises it makes,” Meyer said Monday.

The Republican-ruled Florida Legislature agreed to stop the full-employer paid provision of the FRS, instead making employees pay 3 percent of their paychecks into the plan. The roughly $1 billion drawn into state coffers with the employee contributions helped lawmakers cover an almost $3.8 billion budget shortfall.

Teachers and other school personnel represent the majority of the 655,000 members of the FRS affected by the new law. But the 11 workers suing the state include members of the AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Fraternal Order of Police, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

“It’s a contractual right,” Meyer said of what the union contends lawmakers have violated. “IF you had a 30-year mortgage to buy a house, would your lender 20 years in tell you the house is going to cost 3 percent more?”

Add elections advocates Wednesday to a growing roster of organizations urging Republican Gov. Rick Scott to wield his veto pen.

Environmentalists have already weighed-in, asking the first-year governor to turn back four bills affecting water management districts, conservation rules, wetland regulation and growth management.

Now, several voter groups are demanding that Scott veto the legislation (CS/HB 1355) pushed by ruling Republicans over Democratic objections. Republican lawmakers said the tougher standards the measure would set on those seeking to cast ballots in precincts where they are not registered,  and organizations that register voters, is designed to stamp out fraud.

Democrats and their allies said the measure is aimed at diminishing Democratic turnout.

Those calling for a Scott veto include groups not normally among the first the governor turns to for counsel: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSMCE), the American Civil Liberties Union, Progress Florida, and the Florida AFL-CIO.

“These provisions needlessly infringe the voting rights of Floridians, particularly those among historically disenfranchised communities, including elderly, low-income voters, students and voters of color,” the group’s letter said.   “Instead of fixing real problems—such as expanding access to early voting —they would disenfranchise eligible Floridians, for no legitimate reason.”

Gov. Charlie Crist, now an independent U.S. Senate candidate, said he doesn’t think not getting the AFL-CIO’s endorsement will hurt him, but “it would have been nice.”

The AFL-CIO, the state’s largest labor union, endorsed U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Democrat, this weekend although Florida’s teachers’ union broke with tradition and co-endorsed Meek and Crist.

Big labor’s snub won’t hobble his campaign, Crist said this morning.

“I don’t think at all. It would have been nice, obviously, that’s why I went there. But I was awfully proud and pleased to get the teachers’ support. It’s all about getting the support of the people,” Crist said, repeating his ubiquitous “people” mantra.

Crist, who wooed the unions at their annual meeting this weekend, said he’d welcome the support of other groups, including environmentalists such as the Sierra Club, of which he said he is a member.

“You know my style. I’ll take help from anyone who’s willing to give it and cares about Florida like we do. That’s what it’s about,” Crist said.

Florida’s largest labor union gave Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek its full endorsement, The Palm Beach Post has learned.

The Florida AFL-CIO is in a private meeting this morning to consider endorsements for a slate of state and federal candidates.

Meek got a scare from independent candidate Charlie Crist, who has strong support among the state’s teachers unions. But Meek avoided a potential embarrassment with a rousing speech to the group on Saturday. (Today’s print story.)

The union avoided a fight in the competitive Democratic primary between state Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenaces and Dan Gelber of Miami Beach. The group agreed to endorse the winner of that race.

Aronberg’s camp viewed the split as a victory, but Gelber’s team said the decision lets each campaign battle for local union endorsements.

Gelber did seek the full endorsement, but ran into a roadblock in Pat Emmert, president of the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO, who led the change internally for Aronberg.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek put it on the line with the AFL-CIO this morning with a 29-minute speech that ignited the crowd and may have sealed the endorsement, which independent Gov. Charlie Crist was hoping to pocket.

Here are some snippets from Meek’s speech in Jacksonville:

“I have stood with labor, labor has stood with me. You’ve had my back, I’ve had your back. I need you to be with me now. I need you to be with me. I need you to be with me.”

“The nation is watching what we’re going to do in Florida.”

“No one should be able to come in at the last moment to serve his or her politics and say that, ‘I’m your friend.’”

“I’m asking you to fight, scratch, crawl, bite, do whatever you gotta do to help us win.”

(more…)

JACKSONVILLE — Gov. Charlie Crist’s unprecedented independent bid for U.S. Senate brought him to a strange place today: an endorsement convention for the state’s largest labor movement.

In nearly 20 years as a Republican, Crist had never visited the Florida AFL-CIO conference, where Democrats usually earn the group’s support.

But with no party affiliation and strong backing from public school teachers, who account for more than half of the AFL-CIO, Crist launched a bid to steal the endorsement that, until recently, many assumed would go to Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek.

Story here.

Gov. Charlie Crist bought his independent U.S. Senate campaign to the state’s largest labor movement, the first time he addressed the AFL-CIO in his nearly three decades in politics.

“I’m here to learn. I’m here to listen. And I’m here to show respect,” Crist told about 200 union members. “There’s not enough of that happening right now in government, in politics. I think we have to do a lot more of it.”

The union welcomed Crist by playing the Michael McDonald, “Takin’ It To the Streets.” The song opens with the lyric: “You don’t know me but I’m your brother.”

Crist wants to steal the group’s endorsement from Democrat Kendrick Meek, who won the labor’s support in his primary race. Meek will address the group tomorrow and endorsements will be announced Sunday.

“I want your help,” Crist said. “I want your vote. I want your support. I want your endorsement. I am asking for it.”

The Florida AFL-CIO just announced the list of speakers for its convention this weekend in Jacksonville, where the state’s biggest labor movement will decide which candidates to endorse (and support financially) in the 2010 elections.

Usually there’s not too much surprise in the endorsements. But we’re heard whispers about a joint endorsement in the U.S. Senate race for Democrat Kendrick Meek and independent Charlie Crist, who made huge inroads with the unions after his veto of Senate Bill 6, a Republican proposal to make it easier to fire teachers.

You’ve got to think that anything less than full support for Meek is more trouble for him.

The convention wraps up Sunday with a closed-door session where 300 delegates decide the endorsements.

Here’s the schedule of speakers:

Ted Deutch, Friday, 2 p.m.
Charlie Crist, Friday, 2:30 p.m.
Scott Maddox, Saturday, 9 a.m.
Kendrick Meek, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.

A last-minute deal between the AFL-CIO, Tri-Rail and state transportation officials has satisfied union leaders that their workers won’t be laid off under a bill now being debated in the Senate.

The union had opposed the measure, which the House passed easily yesterday.

The labor issue posed a threat to its passage in the Republican-dominated Senate despite the support of GOP leaders including Senate President Jeff Atwater.

The Senate could take a final vote on the measure as early as this evening.

The side deal means that the Senate is poised to pass the same bill the House approved by an 84-25 vote yesterday. Once passed by the Senate, it goes to Gov. Charlie Crist – one of its biggest supporters – for final approval.

On today’s Palm Beach Post letters page, state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, rips the labor-backed Employee Free Choice Act while local AFL-CIO President Pat Emmert rips Hasner.