Union sues over prison health care privatization

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Two Florida unions are suing after lawmakers decided to move ahead with a plan to privatize nearly 3,000 jobs in the state's prisons.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and a union that represents health care workers filed a suit Friday to block the state's plan. A legislative panel on Wednesday approved a proposal by Gov. Rick Scott to spend nearly $58 million to privatize prison health care operations by January. The unions -- like Democrats on the panel -- are arguing that the panel does not have the legal authority to approve the change. They say it must be approved by the entire Legislature.

But Republican legislators and lawyers with the Florida Department of Corrections have insisted that the state can move ahead with the privatization plan.