Vermont governor vetoes collective bargaining bill
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Vermont governor Phil Scott on Monday used his veto pen for the first time since May 15.
Senate Bill 125 would make it more difficult for workers to decertify a union. Under current Vermont law, if 30 percent of workers represented by a union file a petition, the union can be decertified. S. 125 would raise this requirement to a simple majority of the workers. This bill would also allow judiciary supervisors to bargain collectively.
Read the full text of the bill hereDownload
Scott said he opposed raising the threshold for decertification saying in his veto letter that while he supports collective bargaining, he believes that 'employees should have choices for which union they belong to.'
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The governor also shared concerns about extending collective bargaining rights to judiciary supervisors. He wrote, 'I'm concerned that despite unions testifying this was a priority for their organization, employees who would be impacted by this bill were not consulted or asked to testify.
'The Judiciary has advised this change could have a negative impact on the effective management of courthouses and fear a workplace marked by divisiveness and angst were this bill to pass. At a time when our court system is managing a significant backlog, we should be focusing on improving efficiencies within the system.'
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S. 125 passed the House on May 13 in an 81-51 vote, which would be short of the two-thirds threshold needed to override Scott's veto.
Vermont's legislature is still working on other legislation before it is scheduled to adjourn later this month, most prominently trying to find a compromise on an education bill that Scott said he would not sign last month without further amendment. He did not issue a formal veto in that case as the bill was not sent to his desk.
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