r= Chidtige seu’ “Works March 29, 2009 Dear Representative Hasner, We are public employees and your constituents in Palm Beach County who are opposed to HJR 1013. Since the secret ballot is already protected in both the state and federal Constitutions, this proposed amendment has nothing to do with saving secret ballots. Clearly, the real goal of this misleading amendment is to prevent workers from choosing how they want to form a union and having a voice in the workplace. We believe employees should be able to make their own choices about whether they want to form a union ~ be it through a majority sign-up or through an election. This should be the employees’ decision, not the employers’. Every day, families across the state are making the difficult choice between filling up their gas tanks to get to work or paying their utility bills. Legal experts agree this proposed amendment would only create ongoing legal battles and confusion all at the taxpayers’ expense. We simply cannot afford this amendment. At a time when Floridians are facing the largest economic crisis of this generation, the legislature should be making it easier for workers to bargain for healthcare, pensions and better wages not harder. We are putting you on notice, Rep. Hasner. This unnecessary amendment is a diversionary tactic to distract Floridians from the legislature's failure to act on the critical issues facing our state such as the economic crisis and job loss, our woefully under-funded public schools and declining access to quality, affordable healthcare, We urgently ask you to start protecting working families, not big business and the banking industry. Sincerely,