SUAREZ, J.
The Miami Association of Firefighters Local 587 ("Firefighters' Union") appeals an order granting a motion to dismiss in favor of the City of Miami ("the City"). We affirm the trial court's order.
On October 23, 2009, the Firefighters' Union and the City entered into an agreement to provide for wages, fringe benefits and other terms of employment. Paragraph 18.18 of the agreement provided that the City knowingly and intelligently "waives its right not to fund any year of the agreement." The agreement provides:
An exception under the waiver in the agreement exists in the case of a "true fiscal emergency." On April 30, 2010, the City wrote to the Firefighters' Union, claiming that a financial emergency required modification of the agreement. On August 31, 2010, the City unilaterally took action to modify downward wages, insurance, pension, and other Firefighters' benefits. The Firefighters' Union brought a complaint against the City for declaratory and injunctive relief on constitutional grounds. The Firefighters claim that the City violated the Firefighters' collective bargaining rights guaranteed by Article I, Section 6 of the Florida Constitution by not following the procedures of sections 447.403, 447.4095, Florida Statutes (2010), and by conducting a shade meeting in violation
The Firefighters' Union alleges in its Verified Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief that "despite the provisions of Section 447.4095 and the statutory procedures under Section 447.403 ... the City unilaterally took action to modify downward wages, insurance, pension benefits and other benefits." In other words, the Firefighters' Union claims that, by acting unilaterally and not following the statutory requirements of sections 447.4095 and 447.403, the City abridged the Union's constitutionally guaranteed right of collective bargaining. The Firefighters' Union bases its allegations on the fact that the City unilaterally adopted a resolution that modified certain wages, healthcare and pension benefits, effective September 30, 2010. This was done in contravention of the statutory requirement that, in the event of a financial urgency, the City was required to hold a meeting between the chief executive officer or representative, and the bargaining agent or representative to negotiate the impact of the financial urgency.
The issue presented on appeal is whether a violation of the requirements and procedures under the Collective Bargaining Agreement and those provided in Florida statutes creates an issue within the jurisdiction of the circuit court prior to being heard by PERC. We agree with the trial court that it does not.
The Firefighters' Union's allegations of constitutional violations under Article I, Section 6 and Article I, Section 9 are unavailing. Even where allegations of unfair labor practices, defined as unilateral changes in a term or condition of employment, see Commc'n Workers of Am., 888 So.2d at 100, present issues of denial of due process of law, PERC has exclusive jurisdiction, and such a complaint is subject to dismissal. Fla. Pub. Employees' Council v. Bush, 860 So.2d 992 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003); see also Commc'n Workers of Am. v. City of Gainesville, 697 So.2d 167 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997) (holding that PERC has jurisdiction to hear allegations of unfair labor practices that violate statutory and constitutional rights); see Manatee Educ. Ass'n v. Sch. Bd. of Manatee Cnty., 62 So.3d 1176 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011) (deferring to PERC interpretation of section 447.4095 after dismissal below; issues of the right to bargain collectively under Art. I, section 6, Fla. Const. raised).
Because the Firefighters' Union must exhaust its administrative remedies first, and PERC has jurisdiction in the first instance to adjudicate the allegations of constitutional rights and statutory violations as complained of here, we uphold the dismissal of the complaint below.
Affirmed.