Latest news with #PublicSectorLaborUnionAmendments
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City library workers officially unionize, move to bargain ahead of ban
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Employees at the Salt Lake City Public Library have become the first library workers in Utah to gain formal union recognition. According to a press release from the Local 1004 American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), 92% of the employees at the SLC library voted to unionize. The election was held on April 30 and May 1. This comes after employees began the campaign in April 2023. 'We as workers are looking forward to negotiating our first contract,' Christina Ordonez, associate librarian, is quoted in the release. 'We've always been here for our community, and we finally have the tools to advocate for ourselves and for each other.' In January, the Salt Lake City Public Library Board approved a resolution to recognize the union. On Feb. 5, 2024, the Salt Lake City Council met to approve the employees' right to unionize, the vote passed unanimously. PREVIOUSLY: Salt Lake City approves Utah's first library union amidst controversy on Capitol Hill 'To our Salt Lake City librarians and staff, we are so excited for this opportunity for each and every one of you. You deserve this, so thank you for fighting and bringing this forward,' Council Member Sarah Young said at the time of the resolution being approved. Brad Asay, executive director for AFSCME Local 1004, spoke to ABC4 about what went into forming this union. 'A lot of work with attorneys, a lot of work with different entities to make sure everyone is on the same page,' Asay said. 'It was a two-year process, so it took quite a bit of work to get here.' H.B. 267 concerns H.B. 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, 'prohibits a public employer from recognizing a labor organization as a bargaining agent for public employees,' according to the bill's text. This would prevent public sector unions — like the new Salt Lake City Public Library Workers Union — from organizing for collective bargaining. More than 320k Utahns sign referendum to appeal labor union bill, double the required amount While Asay says there is concern regarding H.B. 267, the referendum signatures will likely put a block on the bill going into effect. Those signatures are currently being verified. 'There are so many public workers affected by this bill — our amazing library workers of course, teachers, firefighters, police, and the thousands of city employees across the state, the people who keep your water and sewer systems running, who clear your streets of snow, who keep your neighborhoods safe, and ensure your city functions smoothly. All these workers are who lawmakers are trying to silence — workers who deserve a say in their training, safety, and working conditions,' AFSCME 1004 President Jerry Philpot said about H.B. 267 in the release. Despite concerns regarding H.B. 267, the union employees are looking forward to exercising their new abilities as a recognized union. Asay says that a lot of the support that got them to where they are today is thanks to the SLC community. 'We just really appreciate all of the support that the public workers have had,' Asay shared. 'It was a huge amount of support from the Salt Lake community… all of us in the union and all the library workers really appreciate that support.' Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Cox signs controversial public union bill, along with 12 others
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed the first 12 bills into law, including the controversial public union bill, that would prohibit collective bargaining for public employees. Announcing the signing early Friday evening, Gov. Cox in a statement expressed disappointment that a compromise was not reached. 'Utah has long been known as a state that can work together to solve difficult issues,' Cox stated. 'I'm disappointed that in this case, the process did not ultimately deliver the compromise that at one point was on the table and that some stakeholders had accepted.' H.B. 267 — or Public Sector Labor Union Amendments — would prohibit public employers from bargaining with unions on behalf of their employees. The bill passed in a controversial vote in Utah's Senate, passing only 16-13. The bill then went to the governor, with demonstrators calling for the governor to veto the bill. In a statement to ABC4, the Utah Educators Association said they are looking into pursuing a ballot referendum to overturn the law, among expressing disappointment in the signing. 'Despite overwhelming opposition, Governor Spencer Cox and the legislature ignored the voices of thousands,' the statement reads. 'This is a blatant attack on public employees and our right to advocate for the success of our profession and students.' Along with H.B. 267, the Governor signed H.B. 269, which would ban transgender students from sex designated dorms. Here is a complete list of the bills signed today: HB 1, Higher Education Base Budget HB 4, Economic and Community Development Base Budget HB 5, General Government Base Budget HB 6, Transportation and Infrastructure Base Budget HB 7, National Guard, Veterans Affairs, and Legislature Base Budget HCR 1, Concurrent Resolution Regarding the Grand County Water Conservancy District SB 1, Public Education Base Budget Amendments SB 5, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Base Budget SB 6, Criminal Justice Base Budget SB 7, Social Services Base Budget HB 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments HB 269, Privacy Protections in Sex-designated Areas For the full statement from the UEA, see below. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rally fills Utah Capitol building, urges Gov. Cox to veto controversial union bill
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah's largest teacher union hosted a rally at the Capitol Building Friday urging Gov. Spencer Cox to veto a controversial bill barring public labor unions from collective bargaining. Hundreds of public employees — including firefighters and teachers — piled into the Utah Capitol Building rotunda, calling on the governor to veto H.B. 267 'Public Sector Labor Union Amendments.' If signed, the bill would strip unionized public employees of the ability to use collective bargaining during contract negotiations. The rally, organized by the Utah Education Association, is just the latest in a series of public displays aimed at stopping legislators and state leaders from moving the bill along. Controversial bill barring public unions from collective bargaining passes Utah Senate Due to intense public pushback, the senate sponsor of the bill teased a compromise last week that would allow unions to bargain if a simple majority of the employee class votes in favor of the labor union representing them in the negotiations. However, the sponsor later rescinded the proposed changes in favor of the original provisions. Just yesterday, that version of the bill was , narrowly crossing the 15-vote requirement to move forward. The bill will now head to Gov. Cox to sign. Picketers are urging the governor to veto the bill, saying the legislature is not accurately representing the needs of the people. If the governor chooses to veto the bill, the Senate can still block the motion. However, there would need to be 20 votes in favor of blocking the veto and only 16 senators originally voted to pass the bill. The Utah Education Association (UEA) released a statement after the bill passed the Senate saying it 'is deeply disappointed.' '[The bill] now heads to Governor Spencer Cox, and we strongly urge him to veto this harmful legislation. Governor Cox has repeatedly stated that he is a proud supporter of teachers and public educators—this is his chance to prove it,' the statement read. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
