UEA Issue Brief: HB 267: Public Sector Labor Union Amendments

HB 267: Public Sector Labor Union Amendments (SUB 1)

• Prohibits bargaining by public employee labor organizations
  HB 267 (SUB 1) prohibits public employee labor organizations from bargaining with their employers (lines 191-193) and establishes criminal and civil penalties for non-compliance (lines 271-275).
  • Utah is a right-to-work state, with no laws requiring school districts or educators to negotiate on salaries, working conditions, or policies. Bargaining happens because it benefits both parties.
  • Educators deserve a voice in their profession, input on their salary and working conditions, and a say in policies affecting their classrooms and schools.
• Prohibitions on union activity
  • HB267 (SUB 1) seeks to weaken union members’ right to obtain assistance from their union (lines 217-219) and regulates when and where employees can do union organizing, prohibiting them from advocating for better wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment (lines 220-223).
    • These regulations undermine educators’ ability to have a collective voice in their schools.
• Requires extensive reporting for dues collection via payroll deduction
  HB 267 (SUB 1) mandates labor organizations to submit detailed reports to the Labor Commission if they collect membership dues through payroll deduction (lines 258-266).
  • This requirement unfairly targets labor organizations. Other entities utilizing payroll deductions, such as insurance companies or banks, are not subject to similar reporting obligations (e.g., payroll deductions for life insurance or mortgages don’t require disclosing lobbying or political activity expenses).
• Mandates withdrawal from the Utah Retirement System (URS)
  HB 267 (SUB 1) forces public employee labor organizations to withdraw from the Utah Retirement System (lines 411-437) and requires the organization to bear the costs of the withdrawal (lines 423-426).
  • This provision singles out labor organizations while exempting other associations participating in the URS, such as the High School Activities Association, Utah Association of Counties, and League of Cities and Towns.