Gov. Rick Scott now says he'd like collective bargaining removed from Constitution

TALLAHASSEE — Days after Gov. Rick Scott told a Tallahassee radio station that he was supportive of collective bargaining, he now says he wishes it weren't allowed in Florida.

Scott's original remarks came in a half-hour interview on WFLA-FM 100.7 in which he referred to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

"Walker is trying to eliminate collective bargaining," Scott said. "My belief is, as long as people know what they're doing, collective bargaining is fine." He added, however, "As long as people know what they're voting for."

On Friday, Scott gave an interview with Bloomberg TV in Washington, D.C., and changed his tune. While Florida's Constitution protects workers from being compelled to join a union, it also protects union workers by guaranteeing their right to collective bargaining. Scott acknowledged the constitutional protections but announced he'd now like to see that changed.

"It'd be great to be able to change it,'' Scott said, according to a preview of the interview posted on the Bloomberg website. "Our state workers don't pay for anything into their pension plan. And we can't afford that — it's not fair to taxpayers. If you didn't have collective bargaining, would it be better for the state? Absolutely."