SALT LAKE CITY — On Friday, Utah’s Republican governor enacted a new law that prohibits collective bargaining, which many experts regard as one of the harshest labor regulations in the nation. This decision arrives despite significant opposition from numerous union members.
Starting July 1, unions representing public employees, including teachers, firefighters, police officers, and transit workers, will no longer be able to negotiate for improvements in wages and working conditions. Gov. Spencer Cox made this announcement after a week that saw thousands of union members rallying outside his office, urging him to veto the proposed legislation. The Republican-led Legislature had narrowly passed the measure the previous week following a withdrawal of a potential compromise that would have avoided the outright bargaining ban.
In his statement, Cox expressed disappointment that the legislative process did not yield a more acceptable compromise, as had been discussed. The bill’s passage did not occur with a veto-proof majority, meaning that if Cox had chosen to reject it, supporters in the legislature would have needed to garner additional votes to override his veto.
With this law, Utah joins the ranks of North Carolina and South Carolina as states with some of the strictest regulations against public sector unions. Labor expert John Logan from San Francisco State University noted the significance of these changes. Many teachers, who typically utilize collective bargaining the most, perceive this law as an attempt by Republican lawmakers to diminish the political clout of teachers’ unions and promote their own educational policies.
Proponents of the legislation argue that it will facilitate more direct communication between employers and employees rather than through union representatives. The Utah Education Association, the largest union for public education workers in the state, criticized Cox for dismissing the opinions of those who called for a veto. The union is contemplating a ballot initiative to challenge the new law, though such an effort is expected to be costly.
In a statement, the union remarked, “Despite overwhelming opposition, Governor Spencer Cox and the Legislature ignored the voices of thousands. This is a blatant attack on public employees and our right to advocate for the success of our profession and students.”
Cox’s decision takes place in a broader context, including actions by former President Donald Trump to significantly reduce the influence of the U.S. Education Department by cutting funding and encouraging staff to resign.
Additionally, on the same day, Cox signed another bill that forbids transgender college students from living in dormitories that align with their gender identity. Under this new law, students at Utah’s public colleges and universities will only be permitted to reside or access gender-specific areas, such as dorms, locker rooms, or bathrooms, based on their sex assigned at birth. This marks the first transgender-specific restriction affecting university housing in the state, although legislation in other states may have interpretations that affect bathroom use in dormitories as well.
