The saga over Utah’s new law that prevents public labor unions from collective bargaining will continue past the legislative session.
Representatives from eight unions announced plans to pursue a ballot referendum to overturn the ban, which Gov. Spencer Cox signed despite fierce opposition.
“Our legislators and the governor did not listen to the huge public outcry against HB267,” Utah Education Association President Renée Pinkney said at the state capitol. “We believe that we, the people, should be able to weigh in and have our voice heard by voting on the referendum to repeal HB267.”
She said lawmakers silenced the voices of public employees by taking away their ability to collectively negotiate for fair wages and better working conditions.
Starting in May, public employees can no longer have a union representative negotiate with their employer on their behalf. While public labor unions can still exist and meet with employers, they can no longer secure legally binding contracts. Instead, employees will have to bargain on their own.
The groups attempted to file their application with the Lt. Governor’s Office on March 5, but they were told state law requires them to wait until after the legislative session ends. In a statement, the unions said the office was misinterpreting the law and that “this will not stop us.”
But getting an issue on the ballot in Utah is not an easy lift.
The groups will have to collect 140,748 signatures from registered Utah voters in at least 15 of the state’s 29 Senate Districts. And the window is tight. The groups either have 30 days from when they collect their first signature or 40 days after the legislative session ends at midnight March 7, whichever comes first.
Union leaders feel optimistic about their prospects, though.
“I think you will quickly see that we'll blow those numbers out of the water,” said Carlos Vasquez, vice president of the Teamsters local chapter 222, which represents both private and public employees. “I think the public is ready for this. I think they’re champing at the bit to do something.”
RABA Research surveyed 502 Utah voters in February and asked about HB267. It described the bill as “changing our state’s laws to weaken employment protections for health care workers, educators, first responders, and other essential workers.” Eighty percent of respondents said they opposed efforts to reduce wages and safety protections for Utah’s workers.
Vasquez said the public employees he represents are upset and anxious over the bill because they don’t know what this will mean for their future wages and benefits. He said they’re ready to take action.
Similarly, Pinkney said the educators she represents called for a referendum. In 2007, the Utah Education Association successfully ran a ballot referendum to defeat a school voucher program created by state leaders.
If the groups gather enough signatures in the allotted time, the issue will appear on the 2026 ballot. In the meantime, the ban on collective bargaining would be put on hold until the election.
“I can't tell you how many people have reached out to me, not just from our organization, but from other organizations, to say, ‘How can we help?’ And so there will be a volunteer effort, and we just need to get this off the ground,” Pinkney said.
The effort goes beyond the state’s largest teachers union. Other school employees, municipal employees, public works employees, health care workers and Salt Lake Valley law enforcement are involved, too.
Brad Asay, president of Utah’s chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, said this is more than just about union members.
“I know that the Legislature is trying to vilify this and say this is just a public union issue, and it is not. This is for workers’ voices. This is for working families,” Asay said. “This is the people of Utah having a voice and respecting their public employees.”
The law doesn’t just affect public employees who already collectively bargain, said Matt Thompson, vice president of the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Association. Some of the agencies his union represents wanted to pursue collective bargaining, but the ban shuts that option down and “sort of adds a cooling effect to our ability to negotiate with administrations.”
University of Utah nurse and CWA Local 7765 President Jessica Stauffer said it’s bigger than one profession and is about protecting the rights of working people.
“The Legislature has not only taken away bargaining rights but also made it nearly impossible for voters to challenge bad laws, but we are ready to meet the challenge,” she said.
