All Virginia public employees could collectively bargain under proposed bills

Influential Democrats are supporting bills in the General Assembly that would make it much easier for public employees to unionize.

If passed, twin measures in the House and Senate would require public employers to negotiate in good faith with collective bargaining units, the bill states. The legislation also creates a state authority that would regulate bargaining units and the agencies with which they negotiate.

The legislation is expected to pass the Democratic-controlled Legislature. If so, the final version would be reviewed by new Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who took a stand during her campaign and sympathized with Virginians seeking the right to collective bargaining.

Similar bills were introduced to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk last year but were vetoed. A coalition of Hampton Roads mayors came together to publicly oppose the legislation at the time, citing what could be a slippery slope toward revoking Virginia’s right-to-work laws. A law was passed in 2021, authorizing the formation of collective bargaining units of civil servants after first receiving the blessing of the respective localities.

Scott Surovell, the state Senate majority leader, said the bill he is sponsoring aims to ensure dialogue between public employees and their government employers.

“It doesn’t guarantee anything in terms of benefits,” Surovell said. “What this ensures is that local governments are required to have a conversation with their employees.”

Surovell, a Democrat representing parts of Fairfax County, said his legislation is not designed to directly allow collective bargaining for higher wages or increased benefits. It just creates a framework, he said.

State and local public sector employees numbered more than half a million in Virginia, according to 2022 U.S. Census data; a majority – around 328,000 of them – worked in the education sector full-time or part-time.

“We are optimistic that over time this will help us achieve better salaries and benefits for our teachers. But it will require collaboration to help fund it,” Surovell said.

Virginia Education Association President Carol Bauer, who leads a group of more than 40,000 public school employees, said the bills would help address problems most Virginia school districts face in retention, stability and recruiting. She said it would create incentives

“It’s not really about confrontation. It’s about collaboration,” Bauer said. “It’s about making sure educators can sit at the table and try to solve problems.” »

Bauer said bargaining power would extend to roles within schools that are often overlooked in budget discussions, such as maintenance staff and paraprofessionals. She said it would also allow public education employees to negotiate on issues that affect the “common good,” or the school environment and community issues, such as establishing a Boys and Girls Club.

Local VEA affiliates would be empowered to enter into collective bargaining without needing to first seek approval from a school board and then the city, as now required by law.

Democratic Rep. Kathy Tran, who represents parts of Fairfax County, is the lead sponsor of the House bill, or HB1263, which was referred to the House Labor and Commerce Committee on January 14. The bill’s Senate counterpart, SB378, was referred to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee the day before.

John Buzbee, 757-879-7421, john.buzbee@virginiamedia.com