447.305 Registration of employee organization. - Florida Statutes

447.305 Registration of employee organization.

   (1) Every employee organization seeking to become a certified bargaining agent for public employees shall register with the commission pursuant to the procedures set forth in s. 120.60 prior to requesting recognition by a public employer for purposes of collective bargaining and prior to submitting a petition to the commission requesting certification as an exclusive bargaining agent. Further, if such employee organization is not registered, it may not participate in a representation hearing, participate in a representation election, or be certified as an exclusive bargaining agent. The application for registration required by this section shall be under oath and in such form as the commission may prescribe and shall include:

   (a) The name and address of the organization and of any parent organization or organization with which it is affiliated.

   (b) The names and addresses of the principal officers and all representatives of the organization.

   (c) The amount of the initiation fee and of the monthly dues which members must pay.

   (d) The current annual financial statement of the organization.

   (e) The name of its business agent, if any; if different from the business agent, the name of its local agent for service of process; and the addresses where such person or persons can be reached.

   (f) A pledge, in a form prescribed by the commission, that the employee organization will conform to the laws of the state and that it will accept members without regard to age, race, sex, religion, or national origin.

   (g) A copy of the current constitution and bylaws of the employee organization.

   (h) A copy of the current constitution and bylaws of the state and national groups with which the employee organization is affiliated or associated. In lieu of this provision, and upon adoption of a rule by the commission, a state or national affiliate or parent organization of any registering labor organization may annually submit a copy of its current constitution and bylaws.

   (2) A registration granted to an employee organization pursuant to the provisions of this section shall run for 1 year from the date of issuance. A registration shall be renewed annually by filing application for renewal under oath with the commission, which application shall reflect any changes in the information provided to the commission in conjunction with the employee organization’s preceding application for registration or previous renewal, whichever is applicable. Each application for renewal of registration shall include a current annual financial report, signed by its president and treasurer or corresponding principal officers, containing the following information in such detail as may be necessary accurately to disclose its financial condition and operations for its preceding fiscal year and in such categories as the commission may prescribe:

   (a) Assets and liabilities at the beginning and end of the fiscal year;

   (b) Receipts of any kind and the sources thereof;

   (c) Salary, allowances, and other direct or indirect disbursements, including reimbursed expenses, to each officer and also to each employee who, during such fiscal year, received more than $10,000 in the aggregate from such employee organization and any other employee organization affiliated with it or with which it is affiliated or which is affiliated with the same national or international employee organization;

   (d) Direct and indirect loans made to any officer, employee, or member which aggregated more than $250 during the fiscal year, together with a statement of the purpose, security, if any, and arrangements for repayment; and

   (e) Direct and indirect loans to any business enterprise, together with a statement of the purpose, security, if any, and arrangements for repayment.

   (3) A registration fee shall accompany each application filed with the commission. The amount charged for an application for registration or renewal of registration shall not exceed $15. All such money collected by the commission shall be deposited in the General Revenue Fund.

   (4) Notification of registrations and renewals of registration shall be furnished at regular intervals by the commission to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

   (5) Every employee organization shall keep accurate accounts of its income and expenses, which accounts shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times by any member of the organization or by the commission.

History. s. 3, ch. 74-100; s. 11, ch. 77-343; s. 2, ch. 79-89; s. 34, ch. 83-174; s. 24, ch. 95-345; s. 134, ch. 2000-165; s. 60, ch. 2002-194.