Utah’s controversial HB 267 seeks to ban collective bargaining for federal workers, drawing fierce opposition from unions and activists.
A controversial bill in the US state of Utah, HB 267, is making its way through the state legislature, sparking intense debate and widespread opposition.
If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal for any federal agency in Utah to recognize labor unions or engage in collective bargaining with their employees. This sweeping measure would impact thousands of workers, including teachers, health care workers, emergency responders, and a variety of other workers employed by federal agencies. Many federal employees rely on unions to fight for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.
The bill has been met with fierce opposition from labor unions, federal workers, civil rights groups, and grassroots organizations. Many of whom see HB 267 as not just harmful to individual employees, but having far-reaching consequences for the broader labor movement and worker’s rights in Utah.
Despite the opposition, HB 267 passed the House floor on January 26 with a 42-32 vote and narrowly passed the Senate on February 6 with a 16-13 vote. It now awaits a decision from Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who must choose to either sign or veto the bill in the coming days.
Labor movement fights back against HB 267
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Utah AFL-CIO, and the Utah Education Association (UEA) have held several rallies at the State Capitol in protest of HB 267. Thousands of workers packed the building after the Senate passed the bill, demanding a veto from the Governor.
Workers carried signs with statements like, “Workers rights are worth the fight!” and “Bust the billionaires, not the unions!”
Michael, a pipefitter with Local 140 who is involved in the growing movement against HB 267 explained:
“I feel like it’s a power grab. I feel like they’re taking away our voice…Teachers, first responders, nurses. Those industries are under huge attacks since COVID. So therefore, you’re taking an industry that’s already been depleted and depleting it even further by taking away their voice.”
The anti-union bill, and the fight against it, reminds labor leaders of a similar anti-union bill in Wisconsin in 2011, called Act 10. That bill sparked an unprecedented worker’s movement that almost culminated into a general strike in Madison.
UEA leads resistance against legislative attacks
In response to the Utah bill passing the House floor, the UEA stated:
“We believe HB 267 represents a dangerous precedent that undermines the principles of democracy and the rights of public employees to organize and advocate for their professions. It is an attack on public educators who dedicate their lives to teaching Utah’s children, ultimately threatening the quality of public education across the state.”
The UEA is the largest teacher’s union in the state. In 2024, they led a broad coalition in a successful fight to shut down Constitutional Amendment A, which would have opened up the use of the income tax fund allocated to public education for other “needs” like private school vouchers.
“The teachers were able to fight hard and [Constitutional Amendment A] got removed from the ballot. It’s clear that the legislature is retaliating against teachers and retaliating against unions,” said Dodge Hovermale, a member of United Campus Workers of Utah Local 7765, speaking with Peoples Dispatch.
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Article continues at https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/02/14/utahs-anti-union-bill-sparks-outcry-as-labor-movement-fights-back