Duval Teachers United (DTU) now faces a mail-ballot recertification election that will determine whether roughly 9,000 Duval County school employees keep 52 years of contract protections.

The union fell short of a state-mandated 60% membership threshold by a Sept. 9 processing deadline, triggering the election under the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC). As we reported Sept. 17, DTU had been racing to sign enough members to avoid the vote.

Bargaining Units Face Individual Participation Hurdles

DTU Vice President Jessica Reyst said the teacher bargaining unit covers about 6,800 teachers, meaning roughly 3,400 must return ballots to meet the 50% participation threshold required under Senate Bill 1296, which took effect July 1. Teachers at Mandarin High School, Mandarin Middle School and Mandarin-area elementary schools are among those who will receive ballots.

"Our teacher unit is roughly about 6,800 teachers, so, for the election, half of them would have to vote," Reyst told WOKV on Sept. 16.

Each of DTU's three bargaining units must independently clear 50% participation. As of Sept. 9, the union had 57.34% membership among teachers, 52.35% among paraprofessionals and 44.23% among office staff in the United Office Personnel of Duval, according to First Coast News. None hit 60%.

New Members Recruited But Not Enough

DTU recruited more than 640 new members between July 30 and Sept. 9. In the final week alone, the union added 100 teachers, 17 paraprofessionals and 13 office employees, DTU President Tammie Brooks-Evans told Action News Jax. It was not enough.

Certification Loss Would Erase Contract Protections

The stakes are concrete. If any bargaining unit fails to reach 50% ballot participation, DTU could lose its certification as the collective-bargaining agent for that group. That would void contract provisions built over five decades, including duty-free lunches, planning periods and bereavement leave.

Brooks-Evans said on Sept. 8 that collective bargaining raised the district's salary offer from about $14 million to $27 million in the most recent contract cycle, according to News4Jax. Without union certification, the district would not be required to negotiate.

Mailing Address Concerns Threaten Ballot Return

The logistical challenge is significant. Ballots will be mailed to employees' home addresses, and completed ballots must be returned to Tallahassee by mail. Brooks-Evans told Action News Jax on Sept. 9 that outdated addresses could derail the effort.

The union plans a phone bank of retirees to call every employee and verify mailing information before ballots go out, according to Jacksonville Today. The Duval County School Board voted 4-3 in early September to hire attorney David R. Osborne to represent the district in the process, Jacksonville Today reported.

New State Laws Set Election Rules

The 60% membership requirement was established by Senate Bill 256 in 2023. Senate Bill 1296, passed this year, added the 50% voter-participation rule for elections held after July 1.

PERC had not announced the election date as of Sept. 16. Union leaders are urging every employee to verify their mailing address with the district and return ballots immediately upon receipt.