Protecting the Public
Utah Legislature takes aim at public sector unions
By Sim H
House Bill 267 has been moving through the Utah legislature at a breakneck pace. Titled the “Public Sector Labor Union Amendments” the bill aims to completely strip unions in the public sector of their right to collectively bargain. It made its way through the Utah house on January 27th, 2025. Moving quickly through committee, it now heads for the full Utah senate, its final stop before the Governor's desk. Various public hearings over the last several weeks have seen union members from all across the state gather on Capitol Hill in a show of solidarity against this backward attack on labor. Union leadership and rank-and-file members crowded overflow rooms and hallways to speak out on the dangerous and consequential effects the bill will have if enacted.
Proponents of the bill continue to maintain that it in no way harms the ability of the union to represent its members, stating that instead it brings more voices to the table not represented by the unions. In reality what they are doing is setting the table on fire. Removing a union's ability to collectively bargain is a blatant attempt to defang public unions, and leaves them in a position where they may have to resort to other methods in order to settle grievances. If unions can’t come to the table in good faith to get their demands, they might just have to go to the picket-line instead.
During the public comment portion of the hearing on January 29th, 2025, Ian Decker, vice president of the Utah Healthcare Workers United Union spoke on the unprecedented and unforeseen consequences this bill will have if passed. “I would prefer not to do these things, but if you only give us one path, and force one method of thinking on us, we’re still going to take that path.” He referenced the recent strike which took place at the Park City ski resort, run and operated by Vail. That strike saw ski patrollers take to the streets and win big, while Vail’s shareholder price plummeted and customer dissatisfaction soared. He added “Utah labor would prefer to address this at the table through contracts, not picket-lines.” If public unions can’t collectively bargain, they’ll have been left with no other choice of action. Even if the state strips that right away, the union still stands, only now they’ve poked the bear. He ended by saying “We’re not going anywhere.”
What state legislators seem to be missing in the bill is that collective bargaining is the peaceful option. They would surely much rather sit down with a union and negotiate than try to manage the mayhem of the ensuing strike. It's the working people of Utah that make it run: that pick up the garbage, put out the fires, teach the students, and take care of the patients. Who is going to do that when they’ve been forced to hit the picket-lines? House Bill 267 is an insulting and degrading assault on those people. People who have the right to organize their workplace, join a union, collectively bargain, and secure their own dignity.