Seeking Rents
Seeking Rents – The Podcast
Ron DeSantis goes union-busting
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Ron DeSantis goes union-busting

Florida's governor and U.S. presidential candidate just signed a state law making it much harder for hundreds of thousands of Floridians, from teachers to garbage collectors, to fight for better pay.
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In this episode: Days before he launched his campaign for president, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping law making it much harder for many Florida workers to band together in unions and collectively bargain for better pay. It takes direct aim at hundreds of thousands of public-sector employees in Florida, from public-school teachers to municipal garbage collectors. But it also threatens to suppress pay for people working in the private sector, too — especially women. This new law was the culmination of more than a decade of lobbying by big-business front groups and billionaire-funded think tanks. And it’s even worse for workers than most people realize.

Further reading:

  • WMNF: DeSantis signs law placing restrictions on Florida unions; teachers union says it will sue

  • PolitiFact Florida: Chamber takes up 'paycheck protection' proposal in campaign-style ad

  • National Library of Medicine: What do government unions do? Public sector unions and nonunion wages, 1977–2015

Contact: Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com

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Seeking Rents
Seeking Rents – The Podcast
"Rent-seeking" is a term in economics that describes when a corporation uses its political influence to twist tax laws and other public policy in its favor. Seeking Rents – The Podcast brings you the stories of how that's happening in Florida, where corporate interests like Florida Power & Light, Big Sugar, and Walt Disney World wield enormous influence everywhere from local city halls to the state Capitol. Hosted by award-winning journalist Jason Garcia, Florida's leading corporate-accountability reporter.