SALT LAKE CITY – Governor Spencer Cox approved 12 bills on Friday, including a highly debated measure that revokes collective bargaining rights for public employee unions, despite significant opposition from labor groups.
Union Pushback Fails to Halt HB267
Following the Senate’s approval of HB267 last week, hundreds of union members flooded the Utah State Capitol, urging Cox to veto the measure, which labor leaders warn will severely weaken unions’ ability to advocate for wages and working conditions.
Efforts to reach a last-minute compromise fell through, and the governor ultimately moved forward with signing the bill.
“Utah has always prided itself on working together to find solutions to difficult challenges,” Cox stated. “It’s unfortunate that in this case, the process did not result in a compromise that some stakeholders had previously agreed to.”
Union Leaders Condemn the Decision
The Utah Education Association (UEA) swiftly denounced the move, vowing to continue advocating for public employees.
“We do not let obstacles deter us,” the union said in a statement. “We’ve overcome challenges before and will do so again. The UEA has stood strong for over a century, and this only underscores the importance of strong unions in Utah.”
Union representatives are now exploring potential legal and legislative strategies to counter the new law.
Governor Also Signs University Housing Restriction
In addition to the labor law, Cox also signed legislation mandating that public university students in Utah must reside in dormitories corresponding with their sex assigned at birth.
The law makes Utah one of the few states with explicit restrictions on transgender student housing in college dorms, adding to the growing debate over gender policies in education.
With these decisions, Cox has set a new course for both labor rights and student housing policies, placing Utah at the forefront of state-level policy shifts.
