Utah’s Anti-Union Bill Sparks Outcry; Labour Movement Fights Back

A controversial bill in the US state of Utah, HB 267, is making its way through the state legislature, sparking intense debate and widespread opposition. 

If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal for any federal agency in Utah to recognize labor unions or engage in collective bargaining with their employees. This sweeping measure would impact thousands of workers, including teachers, health care workers, emergency responders, and a variety of other workers employed by federal agencies. Many federal employees rely on unions to fight for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.

The bill has been met with fierce opposition from labor unions, federal workers, civil rights groups, and grassroots organizations. Many of whom see HB 267 as not just harmful to individual employees, but having far-reaching consequences for the broader labor movement and worker’s rights in Utah.

Despite the opposition, HB 267 passed the House floor on January 26 with a 42-32 vote and narrowly passed the Senate on February 6 with a 16-13 vote. It now awaits a decision from Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who must choose to either sign or veto the bill in the coming days. 

Labor movement fights back against HB 267

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Utah AFL-CIO, and the Utah Education Association (UEA) have held several rallies at the State Capitol in protest of HB 267. Thousands of workers packed the building after the Senate passed the bill, demanding a veto from the Governor. 

Workers carried signs with statements like, “Workers rights are worth the fight!” and “Bust the billionaires, not the unions!”

Michael, a pipefitter with Local 140 who is involved in the growing movement against HB 267 explained:

“I feel like it’s a power grab. I feel like they’re taking away our voice…Teachers, first responders, nurses. Those industries are under huge attacks since COVID. So therefore, you’re taking an industry that’s already been depleted and depleting it even further by taking away their voice.” 

The anti-union bill, and the fight against it, reminds labor leaders of a similar anti-union bill in Wisconsin in 2011, called Act 10. That bill sparked an unprecedented worker’s movement that almost culminated into a general strike in Madison. 

UEA leads resistance against legislative attacks

In response to the Utah bill passing the House floor, the UEA stated:

“We believe HB 267 represents a dangerous precedent that undermines the principles of democracy and the rights of public employees to organize and advocate for their professions. It is an attack on public educators who dedicate their lives to teaching Utah’s children, ultimately threatening the quality of public education across the state.”

The UEA is the largest teacher’s union in the state. In 2024, they led a broad coalition in a successful fight to shut down Constitutional Amendment A, which would have opened up the use of the income tax fund allocated to public education for other “needs” like private school vouchers. 

“The teachers were able to fight hard and [Constitutional Amendment A] got removed from the ballot. It’s clear that the legislature is retaliating against teachers and retaliating against unions,” said Dodge Hovermale, a member of United Campus Workers of Utah Local 7765, speaking with Peoples Dispatch.

Labor leaders committed to fighting for their rights

Despite the advancement of HB 267 in the legislature, workers have shown no sign of quitting this fight. Even if the governor signs it, labor leaders are exploring pathways for a referendum that could repeal the anti-union bill. 

The growing opposition to HB 267 has already put tangible pressure on government officials. A less harmful version of the bill may now be back on the table. The “compromise” bill, which doesn’t outright prohibit collective bargaining for public employees, was tossed out a week ago in favor of the outright ban. Now, one senator may be re-introducing the softer version of the bill after meeting with labor leaders on February 12.

However, workers haven’t taken any comfort in a slightly less anti-union bill. They are committed to protecting their rights. 

“If we don’t [fight] now. What else will they be coming after next?… With the way inflation is going, with the cost of living, with everything going on in our nation. If they take this, what’s next?” Michael said. 

The state’s anti-union legislation is indeed related to a broader national trend.

Utah’s anti-union bill reflects Trump’s attacks on federal workers

The federal government is the nation’s largest employer, employing around 2.4 million people. Historically, this has been a stronghold of organized labor in the US. 

On his first day in office, Trump launched a series of attacks on the federal workforce:

• Imposed a federal hiring freeze
• Ended remote work for federal employees
• Reclassified thousands of positions
• Banned all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs
• Established the “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” led by Elon Musk

As part of the un-elected billionaire’s DOGE, Musk is working to defund and gut certain elements of the federal bureaucracy. He has pressured federal workers to accept buyouts to leave their jobs, which up to 75,000 workers accepted, until federal unions legally challenged the program. On February 12, a federal judge allowed the buyout program to proceed, but the Trump administration promptly closed the program.

The attacks on federal workers are in line with the overall far-right agenda of shrinking government services and potentially outsourcing those functions to private corporations. 

Trump’s actions on a national level provide a blueprint for states like Utah to pursue their own anti-worker measures. In fact, Utah has historically seen local anti-union efforts spike in lockstep with federal government measures. 

Utah’s history of attacks on unions

HB 267 is part of a long history of the state’s efforts to limit collective bargaining and union power. The state has a conservative political climate and deep ties to business interests. 

Powerful corporations, especially the mining and railroad industries, have used public hostility, legal persecution, and even violence to suppress the labor movement:

1915 Assassination of Joe Hill

Joe Hill was a Swedish immigrant, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). He arrived in Salt Lake City in 1913 and began working and organizing in the mines at a time when the IWW was despised by business elites and government officials for its involvement in several major worker’s strikes. In 1915, Hill was arrested and charged for the murder of a grocer, despite the lack of evidence connecting him to the crime. Many believe that he was targeted for his role in the labor movement. 

He was executed by firing squad in Salt Lake City, but his final rallying cry still echoes across labor and political movements, both in Utah and throughout the US: “Don’t mourn–organize!”

1922 Railroad Shopmen’s Strike

Utah was a key battleground during this national strike of railroad workers. The railroad companies, together with the federal government ultimately suppressed the strike by filing federal injunctions against labor organizers and deploying troops to the strikes. 

1955 Right-to-work laws 

Utah began passing right-to-work laws in the 1950s. These laws made compulsory union membership at any workplace illegal. They also allowed employees to opt-out of union dues, even if they benefited from the union. The laws were promoted as giving workers more “freedom,” but they were widely seen as an effort to undermine union power. Right-to-work laws contributed to the major decline in union membership and bargaining power that was seen in the following decades. 

The passage of the Taft-Hartley Act at the federal level in 1947 allowed states to enact right-to-work laws, and Utah was among the many states that took advantage of this provision in the following years. 

2011 Utah Senate Bill (SB 100)

SB 100 eliminated tenure protections for public school teachers and weakened the state’s largest teachers’ union, the Utah Education Association (UEA). This was part of a broader national trend targeting public-sector unions during the 2010s. 

2020 Anti-protest legislation

Several states, including Utah, have seen a wave of legislation aimed at limiting protests and picketing in recent years. The bills were first seen following the mass movement against racist police terror in 2020. 

Utah’s latest anti-union bill, HB 267, is not an isolated incident but part of a long-standing pattern of union suppression in the state. What sets this bill apart is its direct targeting of federal workers—a group historically protected by laws like the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and the Federal Labor Relations Act (FLRA).

The fight ahead

Historically, anti-union efforts in Utah have often aligned with broader national trends, whether through federal policies or shifts in labor relations. Today, the resistance to HB 267 reflects a wider movement to protect workers’ rights across the country.

As debates over labor rights continue, the fight against HB 267 highlights the importance of worker solidarity and the role of unions in advocating for fair treatment and protections. The outcome of this battle will have significant implications not only for Utah but for the future of labor rights nationwide. In the face of these challenges, the resilience and collective action of the labor movement remain crucial in defending the rights and voices of workers.