Spanberger Vetoes Va. Bills Allowing Public Employees to Collectively Bargain Working Conditions, Wages
The vetoes block a long-sought labor priority that would have let public workers negotiate pay and benefits under a statewide framework.
- On Thursday, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation that would have allowed public sector employees to bargain collectively, drawing sharp criticism from labor groups and Democratic lawmakers.
- Spanberger previously sought to delay implementation until 2030 and shift operational authority, but the General Assembly rejected these amendments, citing potential annual state costs of $24 million to $26 million.
- The Virginia Public Sector Labor Coalition, including SEIU and firefighters, called the veto 'Orwellian,' while union leader Kurt Detrick described the governor's actions as 'an absolute betrayal.'
- Attorney General Jay Jones joined union members in expressing disappointment Thursday, pledging to work with all parties to deliver collective bargaining rights to Virginia workers who have earned them.
- Despite the veto, Spanberger emphasized her support for collective bargaining remains unchanged and pledged to continue working with the General Assembly and unions to develop a functional system for Virginia.
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18 Articles
Virginia AFL-CIO: Spanberger’s veto is betrayal of working people
Editor’s Note: On Thursday, May 14, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation to expand collective bargaining to public workers—despite promising repeatedly to support it—sparking a firestorm of criticism from the labor movement. The statement below, published here as an op-ed, was issued by the Virginia AFL-CIO. Today, Governor Abigail Spanberger turned her back on working people across the Commonwealth by vetoing legislation that wou…
Spanberger vetoes Va. bills allowing public employees to collectively bargain working conditions, wages
Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed collective bargaining legislation Thursday, drawing major criticism from some of the state’s largest unions and labor advocate groups. The governor previously expressed support for the bills that would allow more Virginia public workers to organize in unions and negotiate their working conditions and pay rates. Spanberger first sought amendments to Senate Bill 378 and House Bill 1263, which one of the bill’s carrie…
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