labor

Salt Lake City resident Freeman Stevenson, a union member in the private sector, shows off his new ink at Tomoe Tattoo in Salt Lake City, April 11, 2025. The shop held a “Solidarity Tattoo Flash Event” to show support for Utah’s labor unions trying to overturn the state’s new ban on public sector collective bargaining.

Politics & Government

As referendum deadline approaches, a few Utahns are making their support permanent

Martha Harris

Labor groups have until April 15 to gather enough signatures to put Utah’s collective bargaining ban on the ballot.

Public unions rally under the rotunda of the Utah State Capitol, Feb. 7, 2025, the day after lawmakers passed a bill to ban collective bargaining.

Politics & Government

Gov. Cox signs bill that bans Utah’s public sector unions from collective bargaining

Martha Harris

Utah’s governor said he was disappointed “the process did not ultimately deliver the compromise” that was on the table. The state’s largest teachers union said lawmakers have “ignored thousands of voices.”

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.

Politics & Government

PHOTOS: Led by Utah teachers, unions rally for a veto to save collective bargaining

Martha Harris

The sound of hundreds of voices yelling “veto” could be heard on every floor of the Utah State Capitol Friday. Just a day before, lawmakers passed a bill to ban public labor union collective bargaining.

Republican Rep. Neil Walter says his bill to require more businesses to electronically verify the work status of their employees is largely about preventing identity theft. Critics of the bill say it could have far-reaching consequences for small businesses and industries like construction and farming that rely heavily on migrant labor.

Politics & Government

Economic worries hold up effort to toughen Utah’s E-Verify law

Sean Higgins

The proposal would require any Utah business with more than five employees to electronically verify whether their workers have legal working status in the United States.

Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, speaking Jan. 30, 2025, on the Senate floor, told his colleagues “it’s anticipated” that a substitute version of a bill that bans public labor unions from collective bargaining is coming. Instead, it would allow the practice if unions get a majority of support from all employees.

Politics & Government

Utah Senate debate on public union bargaining ban ends in vote, promised changes

Martha Harris

Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore promised a substitute bill to allow for collective bargaining under certain circumstances. Senators took an initial vote without seeing the alternative.

A line of people holding signs mounted on posts stands on a sidewalk waving at passing cars. Their backs are to the camera. The signs say “On Strike / En Huelga”.

Business & Economy

Mass deportations could leave a hole in the West’s service and agriculture economies

Yvette Fernandez

Immigrants without legal status make up a large part of the workers in several industries and have a combined household income of almost $27 billion in the Mountain West.