Representatives from the Protect Utah Workers Coalition are now gathering signatures at Utah Valley University (UVU) to initiate a referendum on House Bill 267, which was signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox on Feb. 14. The bill prohibits public employers from recognizing unions as bargaining agents.
A coalition of advocacy groups are working to collect 200,000 signatures within 30 days to freeze HB 267, allowing Utah’s electorate to vote for it themselves.
“This last legislative session, they took away bargaining rights for four of the major employer unions here: police, fire, teachers and nurses.” said worker Phil Young. “We just believe that people should have a chance to at least vote for it so that those groups can have this say in their own scheduling, requirements for outcomes, response times, things like that.”
Although the terminology is complicated, the goal isn’t. A referendum is a petition to refer an existing law to voters for their approval or rejection. “Two hundred thousand signatures by April 18, and we can put it on the ballot and the voters have a say,” Young continued.
Already UVU students have been signing the ballots. “So many people are just excited and seek me out. Other people haven’t heard about it and so they want to think about it,” Young said.
“It is really a very important issue, especially for our public servants. Nobody goes into public service to get rich. They go in to serve the greater good, whether you’re a police officer, a nurse, or a teacher, and this just gives them the ability to negotiate over things that are important to them. Staffing levels on the floor, the size of the classroom,” said worker Mark Price.
Supporters of the bill argue that it will bring more transparency. Rep. Candice Pierucci said, “I voted in support of HB 267 to increase transparency, accountability, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are dedicated to supporting public services, not subsidizing union activities.”
The future of HB 267 is still yet to be determined. More information can be found on the coalition’s website, which also includes further opportunities to get involved.
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