Post by Coffee Man on Nov 8, 2005 20:34:56 GMT -5
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees began serving Jacksonville’s Public Sector in the mid-1960’s, as AFSCME Local 1048 was chosen as the collective bargaining agent for City of Jacksonville employees prior to the advent of consolidation in 1968. As the two separate governments of Duval County and the City of Jacksonville became the “Bold New City of the South”... the Consolidated City of Jacksonville... AFSCME also experienced tremendous growth as well. In the mid-1970’s, Local 1048 became a part of AFSCME District Council 97, and the strong union negotiated for wage increases and benefits that set a new standard for Public Employees in Jacksonville. In the late 1970’s, District Council 97 became seven different specialized locals under the banner of AFSCME Florida Council 79, the largest Public Employee union in Florida.
AFSCME continually represented the City of Jacksonville employees for decades until PACE, a non-union employee organization, finally won away city workers in 2001 after a decade of dubious attempts under numerous different facades (ACE, FACE, and FAMU, to name a few). The inept “leadership” of PACE was unable to negotiate its own contract for city workers, who saw their wages, benefits and working conditions erode due to the lack of effective union representation. PACE's "representation" was short-lived...
On March 25, 2004, the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) in Tallahassee counted mail ballots in a union election for City of Jacksonville workers. Dozens of City of Jacksonville workers traveled to the PERC office to watch the counting of ballots. Jack Daniels, the proprietor of PACE, departed in resounding defeat even before the counting of the ballots was completed. There were 2,476 workers eligible to vote and 1,318 valid ballots were counted. AFSCME won the election, making it the exclusive bargaining agent once again for City of Jacksonville workers in non-sworn and non-supervisory jobs.
Local 1279 is proud to carry the torch for "The New AFSCME", and looks forward to continuing the tradition of outstanding service to Jacksonville's Public Employees.
AFSCME continually represented the City of Jacksonville employees for decades until PACE, a non-union employee organization, finally won away city workers in 2001 after a decade of dubious attempts under numerous different facades (ACE, FACE, and FAMU, to name a few). The inept “leadership” of PACE was unable to negotiate its own contract for city workers, who saw their wages, benefits and working conditions erode due to the lack of effective union representation. PACE's "representation" was short-lived...
On March 25, 2004, the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) in Tallahassee counted mail ballots in a union election for City of Jacksonville workers. Dozens of City of Jacksonville workers traveled to the PERC office to watch the counting of ballots. Jack Daniels, the proprietor of PACE, departed in resounding defeat even before the counting of the ballots was completed. There were 2,476 workers eligible to vote and 1,318 valid ballots were counted. AFSCME won the election, making it the exclusive bargaining agent once again for City of Jacksonville workers in non-sworn and non-supervisory jobs.
Local 1279 is proud to carry the torch for "The New AFSCME", and looks forward to continuing the tradition of outstanding service to Jacksonville's Public Employees.