AFSCME Fights for Expanded Collective Bargaining Rights in Virginia

Virginia's Path to Expanded Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Workers

In a significant move for labor rights, Virginia opened the door in 2021 for local government workers to unionize and engage in collective bargaining—provided their employers implemented supportive local laws. This change marked a pivotal moment for workers across various city, county, and school districts, leading to notable union contract achievements in places like the City of Alexandria and Arlington County.

Despite this progress, obstacles remain. Many politicians have yet to advance local collective bargaining bills for a vote, leaving state and higher education workers without these rights. This has prompted AFSCME members and other advocates to push for broader legislative changes. "It is simply not right that our freedom to be a part of a union is dependent on our zip code," stated Natalie Boyd Thomas, a social worker and AFSCME organizing committee member in the City of Portsmouth. "We show up every day and work hard to make our communities better and stronger; we deserve the same rights and freedoms as anyone else."

Efforts to extend collective bargaining rights statewide gained momentum last month with the reintroduction of state legislation aimed at including all public service workers in Virginia. This initiative, backed by Governor Abigail Spanberger, seeks to provide a platform for state workers to address crucial issues such as staffing shortages. Shenitia Banks, a direct service associate at the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, emphasized the need for representation: "State workers deserve a voice. Throughout the commonwealth, we work during emergencies, hold critical agencies and services together, and do it all with dedication and compassion every day."

The push for change highlights Virginia's historical context, being one of the few southern states with long-standing prohibitions against public workers engaging in collective bargaining. According to historical records, these restrictions date back to the Jim Crow era.

Research from the Economic Policy Institute suggests that robust collective bargaining laws can mitigate staff vacancies, improve services, and reduce wage disparities across racial and gender lines. Notably, collective bargaining has already shown positive impacts on wages and staffing in Virginia. By 2024, the median salary for state workers lagged $5,000 behind city employees in Richmond, a locality that embraced collective bargaining.

As 2026 unfolds, AFSCME members in Virginia are rallying for comprehensive inclusion of all public employees in the state's collective bargaining framework, seeking to ensure they have a meaningful voice in their workplaces.