A piece of legislation that aimed to expand collective bargaining rights for public sector employees is set to face a veto from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the bill's co-sponsor told WTVR.
HB 1263/SB 378 was first passed by the General Assembly at the end of March. This piece of legislation would have created a "Public Employee Relations Board" to oversee government unions within the state while also certifying elections within bargaining units. Currently, localities have to opt-in to allow their employees to collectively bargain.
Watch previous coverage: Four Hampton Roads mayors urge Spanberger to veto collective bargaining bill
The governor chose not to sign the bill after it was initially passed, instead sending it back to the state legislature with a list of recommendations. Spanberger's proposed changes came with a statement that reads: "I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110414D) be accepted."
Among the changes proposed by Spanberger, one aimed to delay the removal of the opt-in until 2030.
Lawmakers declined to make any changes and passed the bill again in its original form, returning it to Spanberger's desk. On Wednesday, the bill's co-sponsor, State Sen. Scott Surovell, said that Spanberger informed him she would veto this piece of legislation
Watch previous coverage: Virginia lawmakers react to Spanberger's amendments on major legislation
WTVR reports that Republican House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore thanked Spanberger for listening to bipartisan concerns about the bill, sending them the following statement:
"I'm thankful Governor Spanberger decided to listen to the bipartisan concerns over this legislation. As our caucus made repeatedly clear, this bill would have driven up local taxes unsustainably. This veto doesn’t make life more affordable for Virginians, but it keeps the situation from getting worse.”
The Virginia Public Sector Labor Coalition called the veto a "betrayal."
The statement reads, in part: "Instead of aligning herself with General Assembly Democrats who unanimously supported this bill, Spanberger instead vetoed the bill just as her predecessor Glenn Youngkin did, sending Virginia workers the crystal clear message that they are no better off than they were under a Republican governor. Many workers were excited by her promise to finally give them a voice on the job, and are now left questioning why she has left them behind."
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer, Chesapeake Mayor Rick West, Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover and Suffolk Mayor Mike Duman signed the open letter opposing this bill. The letter was posted on Dyer's social media page.
"Taken together, these issues risk undermining effective local governance, fiscal responsibility, and service delivery to our residents. We believe these challenges are not minor technical fixes, but rather fundamental concerns that warrant a more deliberate and collaborative approach," the letter reads.
During an event held in Norfolk on International Workers' Day, State Sen. Angelia Williams Graves argued in favor of the bill, adding that its important city workers have a seat at the negotiating table.
"The city is made up of good people who ought to have the opportunity to be able to collectively bargain and stand up for themselves and be able to advocate for themselves," Williams Graves said. "And the truth of the matter is, collective bargaining is a conversation, it is not a demand, it is a conversation."
WTVR reached out to Spanberger's office for comment on this development, we'll update this article once they hear back.
Bills currently sitting on Spanberger's desk — which includes one that aims to legalize retail marijuana in Virginia and another that would ban assault weapons — face a May 23 deadline. The governor must sign or reject these bills before the deadline, if she doesn't, then they will automatically become law.
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