Letters show contentious nature of Pensacola State College faculty negotiations.

The labor attorney for Pensacola State College accused the Pensacola State College Faculty Association (PSCFA) of inappropriately seeking student support in its labor dispute with the community college after the school newspaper reported on the negotiations impasse.

Inweekly has obtained a copy of the Oct. 31 letter written by Michael Mattimore of the Tallahassee-based firm Allen Norton & Blue.

Mattimore accused union leaders of exploiting students for personal gain, citing the Florida Department of Education’s Code of Ethics

He wrote, “The PSCFA and its faculty member engaged students for personal gain and their support of union business, compromised the educator/student relationship, and ignored their obligation to the students.”

Mattimore pointed out Florida Statute 447.501 (2)(f) prohibits a public employee organization from instigating or advocating from students in institutions of higher learning,

“It is the College’s expectation that the PSCFA will refrain from undertaking any other actions that violate the above-cited statute, and it will notify all faculty members that they are not permitted to seek student for union activities,” wrote the attorney. “By the copy of this letter, we are informing the Advisor of the Corsair of the legal considerations of this matter.”

Tom Wazlavek of United Faculty of Florida responded to the letter. “We flatly deny that assertion—any of your other specious allegations claiming that PSCFA or its members have engaged in illegal activities regarding students or the student newspaper.”

He wrote that student reporters approached the union and some of its members to “conduct interviews about news items of interest to the Pensacola State College community.”

Wazlavek said that illegal actions suggested by Mattimore have been found unconstitutional in the case United Faculty of Florida v. Florida Board of Regents.

“In that case, the court found Section 447.501 (2)(f) to be ‘both a content-based and viewpoint-based restriction on speech,’ and its restricts speech based on the identity of the speaker,” wrote Wazlavek. “Accordingly, the court declared Sec. 447.501 (2)(f) ‘facially unconstitutional’ and that it ‘unconstitutionally abridges’ First Amendment right to free speech…”

The union official defended the newspaper reporters. “I have serious concerns about your efforts to not only bully PSCFA and its members, but also your apparent efforts to harass student reporters,” he wrote. “Student reporters have the unfettered right to speak with whomever they wish in pursuing a news story.”

He asserted that the Mattimore’s letter was the latest in a “series of underhanded attempts to suppress our members’ constitutional rights by creating an atmosphere laden with fear of reprisal.”

He asked that the college refrain from its “harassment of PSCFA members.”

Here are the letters: Mattimore letter

Wazlavek response