VA Gov. Spanberger Vetoes Bill Allowing Public Employees to Collectively Bargain

"Spanberger first sought amendments to Senate Bill 378 and House Bill 1263, which one of the bill's carriers, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surrovell, D-Fairfax, characterized as "a total rewrite." On Thursday, Surovell confirmed the governor told him in a private call she planned to veto the measure."

"The proposal, backed by the Virginia Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and various labor groups, would expand on a 2020 law that permits local government employees in Virginia to opt-in to collective bargaining if their localities allow it."

""I put forth amendments which would have required the state to set up a system allowing state employees, home care workers, and higher education service employees to enter into collective bargaining agreements first, in order to demonstrate the efficacy of this new system, with public employees in localities following closely after," Spanberger said in a statement explaining her veto."

"The governor's action came just over three weeks after legislators rejected her recommendations in their special session in Richmond on April 22. Some Virginia counties and cities have allowed public school teachers, city hall janitorial staff, firefighters and other workers to do this and the proposed measure would have made it po"

Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed collective bargaining legislation after previously expressing support for bills that would allow more Virginia public workers to organize in unions and negotiate working conditions and pay rates. She sought amendments to Senate Bill 378 and House Bill 1263, which Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell described as a total rewrite. Surovell confirmed the governor told him in a private call that she planned to veto the measure. The proposal, backed by SEIU and labor groups, would have expanded a 2020 law allowing local government employees to opt in to collective bargaining if their localities permit it. Spanberger said her amendments would have required the state to set up a system for state employees, home care workers, and higher education service employees before local public employees followed.

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