Opinion: 911 dispatchers ask Gov. Cox: Protect our rights, reject HB267

Yahoo

07-02-2025

I am very concerned about a dangerous bill: HB267, which would strip all public workers in the state of Utah (like firefighters, teachers, police officers, 911 dispatchers and any city, state or county employee) of the right to collective bargain with their employers.
I've been a 911 dispatcher in Utah for more than 10 years. In that time, I've helped deliver babies, heard someone take their last breath, walked desperate callers through CPR on children and reassured suicidal callers. I have dispatched on structure fires and fatal traffic accidents. To say the least, I and all those who are emergency telecommunicators handle situations that most will likely never experience in their lifetime. As a result of the emotional and physical strain our chosen profession takes, it is increasingly difficult to hire and retain dispatchers. The agreement that was proctored by our union is an invaluable asset to encourage new hire applications and retain existing professionals.
Currently, we have a more than 50-page collective bargaining agreement that we worked tirelessly to negotiate, regarding wages, raises, benefits such as sick and vacation leave, and protections like mandatory rest periods between shifts. This agreement protects every single person at my workplace, regardless of whether they are a union member or not. When this agreement expires, if HB267 passes, we would be barred from renegotiating another contract.
On Wednesday, Jan. 29, my colleagues and I, along with countless other public workers, packed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee hearing, filling three overflow rooms and into the hallway, to speak out against HB267. Every one of us was there in opposition of this bill. Sadly, HB267 narrowly passed out of committee by just one vote (4-3).
We were told by proponents of this bill that there's no evidence that unions make workplaces safer, which only demonstrates the reckless ignorance behind this bill. A quick search shows unionization improves workplace safety, particularly for firefighters. A study published in 2021 demonstrated that firefighters with collective bargaining rights have 'fewer firefighter fatalities than those without duty-to-bargain rights.'
We were told by proponents, including Jordan Teuscher, Kirk Cullimore and Brady Brammer, that we can still negotiate with our employers as individuals, and that unions only get in the way of these negotiations. But if that was true, where are the public employees who support this bill because their union is so damaging? Overwhelmingly, public employees are against this because they understand that unions fight for them. The union representation benefit stretches even to non-unionized public sector employees. A rising tide lifts all boats, and unionized workplaces set the standard for all other workplaces in the state to follow. Lastly, we were told at this hearing that the proponents of this bill appreciate their public employees, but their support of this bill shows otherwise.
My colleagues and I are professionals, answering calls at all times of the day and night, no matter the circumstances. We need the protections of collective bargaining to keep our staffing levels high, making sure these critical calls are answered in a timely manner. We need mandatory rest periods between shifts, so the person answering a life-or-death phone call is not exhausted to the point they make critical errors.