JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval Teachers United is preparing for a recertification election after falling short of a new state requirement that 60% of eligible employees be dues-paying union members.
The union recruited more than 640 new members between July 30 and September 9 in an effort to reach the threshold. Despite that push, the union did not secure enough members to avoid an election.
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Now, union leaders are focused on making sure enough employees participate in the vote to preserve DTU as the collective bargaining agent for Duval County Public Schools employees.
“The election rule now states anyone whose had an election from July 1 of 2026 moving forward - that 50 percent of the bargaining unit has to vote,” DTU Vice President Jessica Reyst said.
DTU represents separate bargaining units for teachers, paraprofessionals, and office staff. At least 50% of the eligible employees in each unit must participate in the upcoming election.
“Our teacher unit is roughly about 6,800 teachers, so, for the election, half of them would have to vote,” Reyst said.
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The election will be conducted by mail. Each bargaining unit will receive ballots after the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, or PERC, sets the election date.
That date has not yet been announced.
Union leaders are urging members to make sure their mailing addresses are current with the school district. Reyst said members should complete their ballots and return them immediately to make sure they arrive in Tallahassee on time.
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“That will be a challenge from a perspective of when people get their ballot to vote, they need to put it right back in the mail,” Reyst said.
If the union does not receive the required participation, DTU could be decertified as the district’s collective bargaining agent. Reyst said that could jeopardize provisions in the union’s contract, including duty-free lunches, planning periods, and bereavement leave.
“Our 52 years of existence, that contract that we have, its been fought for over 52 years,” Reyst said. “So, all of the things that are in that contract could potentially be null and void. The district would not have to follow it.”
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