Caroleine James at In These Times reports From Salt Lake City, Utah on a ban on collective bargaining for House Bill 267. By gathering signatures, organizers paused the ban (House Bill 267) and now might get it overturned. If the Bill is allowed to take effect, Utah will join the Carolinas as one of the three most restrictive States for Public Sector Unions, Labor Expert John Logan tells the Associated Press. The Bill’s sponsors (Representative Jordan Teuscher and Senator Kirk Cullimore) are members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), whose Right-Wing Labor Policy Handbook has served as a model for Anti-Union Bills from Florida to Hawaii. Labor Leaders contend collective bargaining benefits all Workers and the ban will have dire implications for Utahns’ well-being. According to Jack Tidrow, President of the Professional Firefighters of Utah, current safety standards for First Responders are the result of years of collective bargaining. In the current contract, for example, four Firefighters are dispatched with each engine, up from three, which protects Workers and makes disaster responses more efficient. Safe staffing levels don’t happen without strong Unions, says Tidrow. ​“You’re not just given those things. We had to work hard to get it.” To get this referendum, around 5,000 volunteers knocked on doors, stood on street corners, staked out popular coffee shops, visited retirement homes and organized drive-thru signing stations.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Utah Labor Coalition Puts Bargaining Ban on Hold with Historic Referendum - In These Times