Utah Workers fight to protect collective bargaining rights

Brad Asay, Vice President of the Utah AFL-CIO and President of the American Federation of Teachers- Utah, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss recent legislation banning public sector collective bargaining, the coalition's efforts to overturn the law through a ballot referendum and the challenges they face in gathering signatures before the April 16 deadline.

In March, Utah's governor signed a bill prohibiting collective bargaining for all public sector workers, including teachers, firefighters, police officers and state employees. Asay explained that despite overwhelming opposition from workers and unions, the legislature pushed through the ban, affecting tens of thousands of employees. The Protect Utah Workers Coalition, comprised of various unions and worker’s rights organizations, launched a campaign to repeal the law through a ballot referendum, but faces strict time constraints and opposition from anti-union groups.

The coalition must collect over 140,000 valid signatures by April 16 to place the referendum on the ballot. Asay highlighted the challenges of Utah's referendum laws, which give organizers only 30 days to gather signatures while allowing opponents 45 days to persuade signers to remove their names. Despite these obstacles, Asay reported that the coalition is on track to meet the signature requirement, thanks to the efforts of over 2,000 volunteers and paid signature gatherers.

Asay emphasized the unprecedented solidarity among public and private sector unions in Utah, with support from national organizations like the NEA, AFT and AFSCME, as well as building trades unions and community volunteers. This unified effort has galvanized support for public employees and working families, which Asay hopes can demonstrate the power of collective action in the face of anti-union legislation.

Listen to the full episode with Asay above to learn more about the fight to protect collective bargaining rights in Utah.