By james art Florida’s largest teachers union is celebrating a major victory.
United Teachers of Dade (UTD) announced that 83 percent of members voted to retain them as official bargaining representatives with the school district.
UTD President Carla Hernandez-Matz posted a video on YouTube thanking voters for their support.
“As education professionals, we will continue to advocate for dignity and respect in our workplaces and continue to be a voice for our students to provide the resources they need,” she said.
The teachers voted between the current union or the Miami-Dade Education Coalition, which was affiliated with the conservative Freedom Foundation.
The union represents more than 25,000 teachers and employees in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The recertification vote came after the state passed a law that raised the bar for labor organizations, requiring them to register at least 60 percent of employees.