AFSCME members triumph as Utah lawmakers repeal anti-union bill

In a significant victory for public service workers in Utah, a highly controversial law that threatened the formation of unions has been repealed. After relentless efforts from union members and public campaigns, the repeal marks a turning point in the fight for workers' rights in the state.

For three years, Ivy Smith, along with her colleagues at the Salt Lake City Public Library, worked tirelessly to establish a union. Their efforts paid off earlier this year when they voted with overwhelming support—92%—to join AFSCME Local 1004, becoming the first public library workers in Utah to unionize. AFSCME Local 1004 represents Salt Lake City public workers.

However, the celebration was short-lived. On Valentine’s Day, Governor Spencer Cox signed the contentious HB 267, which aimed to undermine public service workers' rights, notably by banning collective bargaining and restricting union activities. "Unless we had managed to get a contract in before this bill went into effect, it would have completely squashed our union," Smith explained. "We would not have had a union."

Despite these challenges, the union remained intact, thanks to the decisive actions of AFSCME members and other Utah public service workers. Last week, after a strong show of public support and pressure, lawmakers were compelled to repeal the very law they had enacted. This turnaround was driven by a robust campaign that included the Protect Utah Workers coalition, which managed to gather more than enough signatures to force a veto referendum on the upcoming general election ballot.

During a special legislative session on Dec. 9, the lawmakers who had initially supported HB 267 opted to repeal it to avoid potential backlash in the next election. An impressive signature drive led by the coalition collected over 320,000 signatures—more than twice the number needed for a referendum.

Shelley Bilbrey, a jury coordinator for Salt Lake City courts and a member of Local 1004, highlighted the coalition’s impact: “It definitely showed that our voices will not stay quiet, they will not get muffled,” Bilbrey said. “Our unions sent a strong message across the nation that you should never give up. Our voice as workers should always be heard.”