Florida Statute 447.09 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XXXI
LABOR

Chapter 447
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 447.09

447.09 Right of franchise preserved; penalties.—It shall be unlawful for any person:

(1) To interfere with or prevent the right of franchise of any member of a labor organization. The right of franchise shall include the right of an employee to make complaint, file charges, give information or testimony concerning the violations of this chapter, or the petitioning to the union regarding any grievance he or she may have concerning membership or employment, or the making known facts concerning such grievance or violations of law to any public officials, and the right of free petition, lawful assemblage and free speech.

(2) To prohibit or prevent any election of the officers of any labor organization.

(3) To participate in any strike, walkout, or cessation of work or continuation thereof without the same being authorized by a majority vote of the employees to be governed thereby; provided, that this shall not prohibit any person from terminating his or her employment of his or her own volition.

(4) To conduct any election referred to in subsection (3) of this section without a secret ballot.

(5) To charge, receive, or retain any dues, assessments or other charges in excess of, or not authorized by, the constitution or bylaws of any labor organization.

(6) To solicit membership for or to act as a representative of an existing labor organization without authority of such labor organization to do so.

(7) To seize or occupy property unlawfully during the existence of a labor dispute.

(8) To cause any cessation of work or interference with the progress of work by reason of any jurisdictional dispute, grievance or disagreement between or within labor organizations.

(9) To coerce or intimidate any employee in the enjoyment of legal rights, including those guaranteed in s. 447.03; to coerce or intimidate any elected or appointed public official; or to intimidate the family, picket the domicile, or injure the person or property of such employee or public official, or his or her family.

(10) To picket beyond the area of the industry or employment within which a labor dispute arises.

(11) To engage in picketing by force and violence, or to picket in such a manner as to prevent ingress and egress to and from any premises, or to picket other than in a reasonable and peaceable manner.

(12) To solicit advertising in the name of a labor organization without the written permission of such organization.

(13) To undertake through the medium of a card, circular, pamphlet, newspaper or any other medium whatsoever, or by any holding out to the public as officially representing a labor organization without the written authority or contract with such labor organization. Any publication claiming endorsement by a labor organization shall list in such publication the name and address of the organization or organizations endorsing same.

History.—s. 9, ch. 21968, 1943; s. 1, ch. 65-355; s. 2, ch. 77-343; s. 150, ch. 97-103; s. 9, ch. 2020-160.

Note.—Former s. 481.09.

F.S. 447.09 on Google Scholar

F.S. 447.09 on CourtListener

Amendments to 447.09

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 447.09

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S447.09 1 - CIVIL RIGHTS - PREVENT UNION MEMBER FROM RIGHT OF FRANCHISE - M: S

S447.09 2 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - PREVENT ELECTION LABOR UNION OFFICERS - M: S

S447.09 3 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - STRIKE WALKOUT STOP WORK WITHOUT MAJORITY VOTE - M: S

S447.09 4 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - CONDUCT ELECTION WITHOUT SECRET BALLOT - M: S

S447.09 5 - EMBEZZLE - CHARGE UNAUTHORIZED LABOR UNION DUES - M: S

S447.09 6 - FRAUD-IMPERSON - REMOVED - M: S

S447.09 7 - FRAUD-IMPERSON - SOLICIT UNION MEMBERSHIP OR REPRESENT WO AUTH - M: S

S447.09 8 - FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENT - REMOVED - M: S

S447.09 9 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - SEIZE OCCUPY PROPERTY DURING LABOR DISPUTE - M: S

S447.09 10 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - STOP WORK RE UNION DISPUTE GRIEVANCE DISAGREE - M: S

S447.09 11 - INTIMIDATION - EMPLOYEE REGARDING RIGHT NOT TO ORGANIZE - M: S

S447.09 12 - ASSEMBLY-UNLAWFUL - PICKET BEYOND LABOR DISPUTE AREA - M: S

S447.09 13 - ASSEMBLY-UNLAWFUL - PICKET PREVENT INGRESS AND EGRESS OF PREMISE - M: S

S447.09 14 - FRAUD - SOLICIT AD IN NAME OF LBR UNION WO PERMISSION - M: S

S447.09 15 - FRAUD - PUBLICATION REPRESENT LABOR UNION WO CONTRACT - M: S

Cases Citing Statute 447.09

Total Results: 8

DeMarco v. Publix Super Markets, Inc.

360 So. 2d 134, 115 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 4616, 1978 Fla. App. LEXIS 16208

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 27, 1978 | Docket: 525027

Cited 45 times | Published

and 9,[2] Florida Constitution (1968), and Section 447.09, Florida Statutes (1975); (2) damage to his

DeMarco v. Publix Super Markets, Inc.

384 So. 2d 1253, 115 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 4784, 1980 Fla. LEXIS 4216

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 1, 1980 | Docket: 451052

Cited 42 times | Published

with the exercise of his statutory right under section 447.09, Florida Statutes (1975), damage to his reputation

Stevens v. Horne

325 So. 2d 459

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 12, 1975 | Docket: 1670816

Cited 14 times | Published

were clearly violative of Florida Statutes Section 447.09, and further that all the testimony presented

CANNERY, C., D., W. & A. EMP. v. Winter Haven Hosp., Inc.

279 So. 2d 23, 83 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2515

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 6, 1973 | Docket: 1522202

Cited 3 times | Published

bargaining or other mutual aid or protection." Section 447.09(11) of the Florida Statutes, 1971, F.S.A.,

Hescom, Inc. v. Stalvey

155 So. 2d 3, 53 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2866, 1963 Fla. App. LEXIS 3363

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 25, 1963 | Docket: 60213824

Cited 1 times | Published

F.S.A. ; F.S. Section 447.03, F.S.A. ; F.S. Section 447.09, F.S.A. ; F.S. Section 447.11, F.S.A. . Local

Fontainebleau Hotel Corp. v. Hotel Employees Union

92 So. 2d 415

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Feb 1, 1957 | Docket: 1389936

Cited 1 times | Published

including acts for mutual aid and protection. Section 447.09(3, 4, 11) preserves the right of franchise

Plager Bros. Brake Services v. Local 320, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

121 So. 2d 36, 1960 Fla. App. LEXIS 2574, 40 Lab. Cas. (CCH) 66,598

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 2, 1960 | Docket: 60195060

Published

prerequisite to their striking under Florida law, § 447.-09(3), Fla.Stat., F.S.A.

Treasure, Inc. v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders' Union, Local No. 133

72 So. 2d 670, 1954 Fla. LEXIS 1430, 34 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2141

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 14, 1954 | Docket: 64485545

Published

illegal, then the picketing may be enjoined. F.S. § 447.09, F.S.A., makes it unlawful for any person to coerce