The Utah GOP Surrenders to Public Unions

[douglas9]

Last edited Sat Dec 20, 2025, 12:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Utah has become a good-government refuge for West Coasters. But don’t bet on it staying that way after state Republicans this month repealed their ban on collective-bargaining for government workers. This will inevitably lead to higher spending and taxes.

Republicans this spring passed legislation barring government unions from collective bargaining. The goal was to prevent a tax-and-spending ratchet a la California, New York and Illinois. Government unions negotiate rich salaries and benefits. Then lawmakers invariably have to raise taxes to pay for them. Rinse and repeat.

Government unions, unlike those in the private sector, don’t have to worry about driving their employers out of business if they make excessive demands. Public officials also have an incentive to roll over to government unions to win their support in the next election. This is why Wisconsin Republicans in 2011 limited collective bargaining.

The MacIver Institute estimated this year that the Badger State reforms have saved taxpayers $35.6 billion, about two-thirds of which has come from lower healthcare costs. Studies also found that math proficiency improved as a result of the reforms, and that higher-performing teachers moved to districts that rewarded merit.

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/utah-public-unions-collective-bargaining-spencer-cox-jordan-teuscher-95b1f4be?st=9mAZKy

https://www.rawstory.com/utah-unions/

[Scruffy1]

1. I,m not sure this really belongs on du.

It's nothing more than an anti union screed.

[Scrivener7]

2. A big wad of WSJ bullshit.

A) The express purpose of a union is collective bargaining. The article simply doesn't like that unions exist.

B) What do Wisconsin's health care cost savings have to do with collective bargaining by public unions? The article admits that healthcare is the source of two thirds of Wisconsin's savings, but then links it, illogically, to lack of collective bargaining by public unions.

C) The article advocates for allowing public employees to opt out of the union. This has been shown over and over to kneecap the unions. And the kneecapping of unions has been shown, over and over, to create a transfer of wealth from the middle class to the billionaires. We KNOW that the demise of the unions has led to the demise of the middle class.

D) Some argle bargle about math proficiency in districts that reward merit. It's easy enough to institute rewards for merit in ALL districts without kneecapping the unions.

Utah did the right thing. And the WSJ article is simply advocating, as usual, for a system that transfers wealth upward. The real question is, just how much money do those people at the top need? When will they feel they have taken enough out of the pockets of everyone lower than them on the economic scale? What is their end game in demolishing the middle class and making everyone poor except a handful of people at the top?

[IbogaProject]

4. Also orderly employee discipline

The workplace dispute process is more structured and also protects business owners from capricious managers. And collective bargaining is central especially as pay is fixed for everyone rather than having different deals for different workers doing the same work.

[douglas9]

3. Utah legislature repeals anti-bargaining legislation after backlash from workers and communities

Last night, the Utah state legislature repealed H.B. 267 during a special legislative session – officially ending a 10-month battle between the state’s workers and lawmakers over collective bargaining rights.

Utah lawmakers passed the Public Sector Labor Union Amendments in February. The controversial legislation stripped all Utah public employees of their right to engage in collective bargaining.

While the Professional Fire Fighters of Utah (PFFU) and other unions attempted to reason with the bill’s proponents, talks broke down after Utah Senate leadership moved the bill to the floor for a vote. Governor Spencer Cox (R) later signed the bill into law on Feb. 14.

“Collective bargaining gives workers a voice to keep their communities safe,” General President Edward Kelly said. “This legislation failed Utah’s communities and it failed Utah’s fire fighters.”

“Without the hard work of the PFFU and their brothers and sisters in labor, H.B. 267 would still be on the books. Together, they showed what’s possible when you refuse to take no for an answer.”

Despite the enactment of H.B. 267, Utah workers refused to back down.

https://www.iaff.org/news/utah-legislature-repeals-anti-bargaining-legislation-after-backlash-from-workers-and-communities/

https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-members-win-fight-to-repeal-utah-law-taking-away-union-rights