Ruling follows passage of landmark Florida labor reform bill SB 1296

Tallahassee, FL — Florida’s Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) has ruled against the Florida Education Association in an unfair labor practice case, ordering the union to cover attorney fees and litigation costs for retired Martin County teacher Kelley LaBedz. 

The Martin County Education Association (MCEA), a local FEA affiliate, was found to have violated Florida law by denying LaBedz access to union financial records on her request.  

MCEA President Karen Resciniti compounded the violation by expelling LaBedz from the union without due process — a move that both violated LaBedz’s constitutional right to collectively bargain and also broke the union’s own constitution and bylaws. 

FEA’s fingerprints were on the financial records denial from the start. Service Unit Director Gary Simmons sent the rejection himself, noting, “Your request is invalid and is hereby rejected.” 

The ruling lands as Florida lawmakers send SB 1296 to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk — a landmark reform requiring unions to win a majority certification vote before serving as employees’ exclusive bargaining agent. LaBedz testified before multiple committees in support of the bill, putting a face to exactly the kind of abuse it’s designed to stop. 

“I wanted to provide this committee with a real-life example for why this bill is sorely needed,” LaBedz told lawmakers. “I was a teacher in Martin County for eight years. I resigned at the conclusion of 2024-2025 academic year, and at that time, we didn’t have a contract. We worked all year without a contract. My former colleagues still don’t have a contract. The reason we don’t have a contract is the president of our union held up the contract for everyone for his own personal gain.” 

“FEA has spent years hiding behind legal technicalities while trampling the very workers they claim to represent,” said Freedom Foundation CEO Aaron Withe. “This ruling is accountability in action. Congratulations to Kelley LaBedz and her legal team at the Center for Independent Employees.”