PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Governor Abigail Spanberger's veto of a public sector collective bargaining bill is drawing sharp reactions from city and trade workers across Virginia, with supporters and critics now gearing up for the next fight over workers' rights in the state.
Tangela Randall, a family services specialist and city employee who helps people with intellectual disabilities, said she was disappointed by the governor's decision.
"I think I felt a range of emotions from confusion to, I guess, sadness," Randall said.
Randall had hoped Spanberger would support the bill, which would have given workers like herself fair representation in salary and benefit negotiations.
"Being able to have our voices heard, so that we can talk about our concerns, safety policies, pay, fair pay, equal pay, equal rights," Randall said.
In her veto statement, Spanberger said she does support collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, but had proposed amendments she said would have phased in the system more carefully. The General Assembly rejected those changes, leading to her veto of their proposal. Spanberger's office said she would have signed the bill if the General Assembly had accepted her amendments.
A spokesperson for the governor said Spanberger continues to support setting up a public sector collective bargaining system that works for both workers and businesses, and would have signed the bill if the General Assembly had accepted her amendments.
Several Hampton Roads mayors also urged the governor to veto the bill, including the mayors of Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. In a joint letter, they argued the legislation was "unworkable for local governments," citing budget timelines and inconsistent treatment of employee groups.
Randall said the veto is a step backwards, but city and state workers are not giving up. She said they are regrouping and developing a new strategy because the fight extends beyond themselves.
"We want better for the people that we support every day, and so we're gonna continue to fight," Randall said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.
