Union advocates are starting a 30-day attempt to collect enough signatures to place a referendum on Utah ballots concerning the restrictions placed on collective bargaining for public sector employees.
Collective bargaining is the process that allows employees, often through unions, to negotiate with employers to determine terms or conditions of employment. Commonly, this includes talk of wages, benefits and working conditions. HB 267 was recently passed by Gov. Spencer Cox. This bill bans public sector unions from collective bargaining. It has been met with severe backlash.
“The Utah Legislature took away the rights of public workers — teachers, firefighters, nurses and police — to collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits and working conditions,” shared Protect Utah Workers, a coalition created in response to the bill. “This referendum challenges the unfair law and allows voters to decide what’s best for Utah.”
Signature gathering began on saturday March 15, within downtown Salt Lake City during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Under Utah code, once the first signature is collected, organizers have 30 days to gather signatures. Signatures must be gathered from 8% of the state’s total active voters within 15 of Utah’s 29 Senate districts. If the referendum succeeds, the bill will be placed on voters’ ballots where they can choose to overturn it.
“It’s amazing to me that we want to claim that we care about our teachers and firefighters, and then we do something like this that’s completely against what I believe is good for them,” says Sandy resident Mark Ciullo. “I just don’t get it.”
Southern Utah residents will attempt to collect 200,000 signatures by April 14, 2025. These signatures will add a ballot measure that would allow voters to decide whether or not to overturn the Legislature’s ban on collective bargaining.
The bill is set to take effect on July 1st. To stay up to date with this bill and referendum, check out SUU News.
Author: Tallon Taylor
Photographer: Anna Mower
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net
