In honor of the recent passing of Brian Wilson we hope you are having a great summer whether restful, adventurous, or otherwise. And while we hate to burst your summer bubble we do have some important FUSA news.
We’d hoped to have bargaining wrapped up in early May, however administration could not agree to economics proposals due to the Florida Legislature’s inability to finalize the budget before the end of session. But, after an extension into June, there is now a new budget approved and signed by the governor.
Next bargaining session
Though we can’t bargain an endless summer, we can bargain better wages and working conditions. If you are in town, we urge you to attend bargaining Tuesday, July 15, 9 am – 4 pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). Even if you can only stay for a portion of the negotiations a steady stream of faculty in attendance speaks volumes about our solidarity. Please see the bargaining update recently sent to email by FUSA President Sherry Sippel for the status of all proposals thus far.
As always, FUSA is hosting the Faculty Graduation Breakfast at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday, May 2, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. For more information, view the invitation.
Bargaining
The fourth and currently last planned bargaining session is slated for May 9 at the Ybor City Campus, YLRC 305, from 9am – 1pm. All faculty are invited to attend FUSA bargaining sessions with Administration. In fact, we encourage it! Even if you can’t stay for the full session a steady stream of faculty in attendance speaks volumes about our solidarity.
The FUSA Informant and more
If you haven’t read the latest issue of the FUSA Informant, fear not. We have it linked online so you can read about your union and the various happenings this spring.
A key finding: “Unionized faculty who collectively bargain are paid tens of thousands of dollars more than those who don’t, the new report shows. And it helps everyone around them…including other staff on those campuses and even non-union faculty in the same states.”
Educators in Florida are facing a two-prong attack. Closer to home, the Florida legislature is again coming at us with union busting bills, while nationally we have the current administration’s unconstitutional efforts to dismantle the Department of Education to contend with. But don’t lose hope. Fight back! Let them know we stand united in defense of education, students, and the right to a collective voice to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
On the Florida front
It is time to tell your legislators once and for all to leave educators, students and unions alone. Year after year bills are filed and often pass that defy your constituents and the intent of the Florida constitution which has enshrined the right to collectively bargain. Year after year teachers have shown that we will fight for our voice as workers that teach for the public good.
It’s time to tell Congress to do their constitutional duty as a coequal branch of government and to protect the federal agencies they created from the callous, chaotic, incompetent cuts like those aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. Read UFF’s Press Release Condemning Executive Order Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, then take action:
A lot is going on both locally for FUSA and at the state and national level regarding education and higher ed in particular. Your union is committed to helping safeguard and improve working conditions and pay for faculty. And there are times when we need to call on all members to lend a hand in these battles because our strength is in our numbers. Looking out for each other is the true meaning of solidarity.
Ballots
By now you should have received a FUSA Fire notification in your HCC email from FUSA President, Sherry Sippel, outlining the frustrating background behind the union recertification vote we are required to hold.
You should have also received your ballot by now at your home address. If you haven’t yet received your ballot, contact us as soon as possible. You may also email FUSA_President at hccfl.edu or jbullian at hccfl.edu.
It is imperative we get not only all FUSA members but every single HCC faculty member to vote YES to keep the union. This will send a strong message to Tallahassee that these unwarranted bureaucratic hurdles recently mandated for teacher unions, among others, are both a waste of time and taxpayer money.
Bargaining
Our second of four scheduled bargaining sessions occurred Feb 21. Both Admin and FUSA presented article proposals. Here is a Bargaining Summary of the proposals presented thus far. The next bargaining session is slated for April 4 at 9am – 1pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). All faculty are encouraged to attend and stay involved! We had a good faculty turn out last time. Let’s try and improve on it and get even more faculty to show up!
And now for the B.S.
Not only are we in the midst of the 2025 Florida Legislative session, we also are witnessing unprecedented attacks on government and education that have come with the new presidential administration. The “move fast and break things” approach has been callous, chaotic and incompetent.
If you are feeling powerless and looking for a way to stand up and fight for education and the institutions that have made this country great, your union is here to help. In fact there are large national alliances that are pushing back on these attacks.
A great example of union power and solidarity happened on Feb. 25, 2025 in D.C. at a rally held by Labor for Higher Education, a group consisting of higher ed labor unions banding together to oppose the targeted attack on workers and funding at colleges and universities. Concurrently, an online meeting was held during which participants called their legislators and other officials and urged them to oppose these unprecedented attacks on academic workers across the country. If you missed the rally you can watch the video below (note the audio clears up at about 0:1:40 or so).
The event featured:
CWA Vice President, Public, Healthcare & Education Workers, Margaret Cook AAUP President Todd Wolfson UAW 2750 President Emilya Ventriglia AFT President Randi Weingarten AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride UAW Int’l Executive Board – Region 6 Director Mike Miller Rutgers AAUP/AFT member Annika Barber UE General President Carl Rosen NEA Council for Higher Education Alec Thomson HELU Chair Levin Kim/UAW
The next FUSA Council meeting will occur Fri. Jan 24, 2025 at 9am in YLRC 305. All Faculty are welcome to attend.
Member benefits
Are you taking advantage of all of your union benefits? FUSA members are part of a larger labor movement for educators specifically and workers in general. In addition to the provisions and protections in our contract, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA), there are many other benefits members can choose to tap into. Learn more about the benefits of membership.
Legislative session
The 2025 Legislative session will begin in March. Your elected UFF Senators and the FUSA Council will keep abreast of the potential impacts to higher ed. Take a look at how you can get involved in and contact us:
Join the FUSA Government Relations committee
Become a member of the Higher Ed Regional Outreach (HERO) team for West Central Florida.
If you have any questions feel free contact us. To learn more about the benefits of being a FUSA member, visit our Member Benefits page.
Bargaining update
Due to the recent storm closure for Hurricane Milton, FUSA and the Administration have rescheduled bargaining for Nov. 22 at the Ybor campus (YLRC 305) from 12noon – 2pm. Stay tuned for the official notice from the college and an update from the FUSA President.
Bargaining on the 2025-2028 contract will continue throughout Fall and extend into Spring term. Further dates will be shared as they are scheduled. Faculty attendance at bargaining sessions is greatly encouraged!
Come join us for the annual FUSA breakfast at graduation May 3rd from 7:30-9:30 at the Florida State Fairgrounds. As usual we will also honor recent faculty retirees. It is a great chance to mingle with your fellow faculty before celebrating our students’ accomplishments.
faculty who teach at colleges or university with faculty unions are paid more money than non-union faculty, even in the same states.
at 2-year colleges, faculty who collectively bargain for their pay earned $19,000 more than their colleagues who worked in the same states but without union contracts in 2023,
they earned $25,000 more than 2-year faculty in states without collective bargaining.
These data points are a clear indication of the difference union membership brings. Thanks for supporting your union!
We are calling on all members to once again rally in defense of your union, FUSA, against the arbitrary and onerous dictates of the Governor and his super-majority legislature in Tallahassee.
Please check your HCC email for a message from FUSA president Sherry Sippel, subject line: “FUSA FLASH: Action Needed from all HCC-FUSA Members!” Please follow the submission instructions and submit this form as soon as you can!
This year’s law (SP 1746) is a follow-up to last year’s SB 256 which outlawed payroll dues deduction for public employee unions (primarily educators while exempting first-responders). You responded by signing up for eDues and we surpassed the membership threshold. Then at Spring Inservice you signed the mandated “showing of interest card” as if paying dues didn’t already signify your interest in being in a union.
Now, we have “The Form.”
In order to comply with the new law we have to sign another form meant to ensure members know Florida is a “right to work” state and that union membership isn’t required. You already know this and you choose to be a member of FUSA. This form isn’t going to stop FUSA from having the strongest higher ed union membership in the state.
Faculty United Service Association 
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