The union rally crowd gather under the rotunda of the Utah State Capitol, Feb. 7, 2025, the day after lawmakers voted to ban collective bargaining for public unions. Protestors chanted and held signs calling for Gov. Spencer Cox to show up for teachers and other public employees by vetoing HB267.
Frustrated Utahns filled the state capitol Friday afternoon to call on Gov. Spencer Cox to veto a bill that would end collective bargaining for the state’s public labor unions.
The Utah Highway Patrol estimated that a thousand people gathered under the rotunda. Their chants of “Veto! Veto!” could be heard on every floor.
They also yelled, “Union busting, that’s disgusting.”
The crowd included educators, firefighters, municipal employees, members of other public labor unions and Democratic lawmakers. There were so many people that they spilled onto the steps leading up to the third floor, as well as the balconies of the upper floors.
“What do we want? Veto! When do we want it? Now!”
The Legislature passed HB267 on Feb. 6. The bill had been strongly opposed by unions and their members since it was introduced. Despite talks of a compromise, Republican senators pushed ahead and narrowly passed the full ban on a 16-13 vote. It passed through the House 42-32.
The Utah Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, organized the rally. The crowd swelled to a sea of red, with most attendees wearing the color in reference to the “Red for Ed” movement for public education. Over and over, the popular union anthem rang out, “Solidarity forever! Solidarity forever! Solidarity forever! For the union makes us strong.”
Through chants and signs, they also advocated for voting out the bill’s sponsors, Republican Rep. Jordan Teuscher and Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore. Multiple attendees said they were disappointed with the legislative process and felt like lawmakers didn’t care about them.
The crowd vented for over an hour and called for Cox to take action.
“Gov. Cox, the people say veto this bill and don’t delay.”
Martha Harris
/
KUER
Hundreds of Utahns and union members rallied at the Utah State Capitol, Feb. 7, 2025, to express their frustrations at state lawmakers for stripping public unions of their ability to collectively bargain. They called on Gov. Spencer Cox to veto the recently passed bill. The crowd started at about 500 people when the rally started and grew to around a thousand, according to estimates from Utah Highway Patrol officers.
Martha Harris
/
KUER
Salt Lake Education Association union president and Salt Lake City School District employee Mike Harman led the crowd in chants for a half-hour before speakers addressed the crowd. The chants focused on calling Gov. Spencer Cox to veto HB267 and also the power of unions. He also led the crowd in singing “Solidarity forever! Solidarity forever! Solidarity forever! For the union makes us strong.”
Martha Harris
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KUER
Democratic lawmakers, like Rep. Grant Amjad Miller, second to the back and center in a suit and tie, joined the crowd in calling for Gov. Spencer Cox to veto HB267, the bill banning public labor union collective bargaining. The Democratic caucus opposed and voted against it.
Martha Harris
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KUER
The rally crowd filled the second floor of the capitol and because it was so crowded, some gathered on the steps leading up to the third floor and also looked out from the upper floor balconies. The crowd’s chants against HB267 could be heard from every floor of the building.
Martha Harris
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KUER
The crowd held signs expressing their frustrations with lawmakers for passing HB267 and calling on Gov. Spencer Cox to veto the bill.
Martha Harris
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KUER
Democratic Sen. Kathleen Riebe, a public school educator and union member, stood with the crowd and joined them in chanting for the governor to veto HB267. She voted against the bill and strongly opposed it.
Martha Harris
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KUER
Since HB267 was first introduced, some opponents believed lawmakers were using the bill to retaliate against the Utah Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, for challenging the state in court. One rally attendee held a sign that said, “HB267 is a revenge bill. How dare you be so petty!”
Martha Harris
/
KUER
Educators were joined with other public union members at the rally, like members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
