Cops statewide urged to boycott Florida Chamber banks

James Preston, president of the Fraternal Order of Police’s Florida State Lodge, this morning said the union has canceled its own membership in the Florida Chamber and directed local chapters to do the same. More significantly, Preston asked FOP-member law enforcement and corrections officers around the state to pull their money out of Bank of America, PNC Bank, Regions Bank, SunTrust and Wachovia.

The Florida Chamber is pushing the Legislature to pass the “Paycheck Protection” act, which would prohibit state and local governments from collecting union dues through payroll deduction — potentially crippling labor’s ability to operate.

Here is Preston’s news release:

The FLORIDA STATE LODGE, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE representing 20,000 professional law enforcement officers across the state of Florida is disappointed in the political attacks of the Florida Chamber of Commerce against our membership engaged in collective bargaining.

The Florida Chamber has published media ads in support of the so called “pay check protection act”, Senate Bill 830. This act, if passed, would prohibit the collection of employee organization dues and prohibit the use of employee dues for political purposes. This bill is a blatant attempt at “union busting” and silencing the voice of our middle America members to engage in the political process which is our constitutionally protected right. The Florida Chamber of Commerce, would deny rights to our members who would dare to be a part of their own legislative future. Their media ads are disingenuous and filled with lies.

The Florida State Lodge has withdrawn from membership in the Chamber of Commerce and directed all of our membership and local lodges to cancel their membership as well. We now join our brother and sister Professional Firefighters in their boycott initiative of the member banks whose executives also serve as Directors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. We are asking our 20,000 members to withdraw their personal money from Bank of America, PNC Bank, Regions Bank, Sun Trust and Wachovia. Find a local bank or credit union that deserves our business.