SALT LAKE CITY — Labor unions are filing a citizen referendum on a bill banning public employee collective bargaining.
Union members gathered outside Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson's office on Wednesday to announce the referendum, which will seek to gather more than 200,000 signatures to force a public vote in November 2026. The bill passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Spencer Cox prohibited public employee unions from collective bargaining.
"Clearly our legislators and our governor did not listen to the public outcry opposing HB267 and we would like we the people to be able to weigh in and repeal this harmful legislation," Renée Pinkney, the president of the Utah Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, told FOX 13 News.
On Wednesday afternoon, Lt. Gov. Henderson's staff declined to accept the referendum due to a dispute over how Utah's laws are interpreted. The state elections office told union members its lawyers had interpreted the law to say a referendum can be filed within five days of the legislature adjourning. So the unions can return and refile it.
"Pull our hat down tight and strap our boots on," said Mike Evans, the president of the Utah School Employees Association.
A coalition of labor unions have banded together to run the referendum, including the American Federation of Teachers, the Teamsters Local 222, the Utah School Employees Association and the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Association. On Wednesday, they launched a website to coordinate signature gathering at protectutahworkers.com.
In a statement to FOX 13 News, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said it is the unions' right to referendum.
"I respect that referendums are an important part of the democratic process. I hope voters will study the issue, understand the debate, and make an informed decision," he said.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, echoed that sentiment.
"Referendums are part of the process. I encourage voters to thoroughly research the issue at hand to make informed decisions," he said in a statement.
Carlos Vasquez, of the Teamster's Local 222 said he believed it will be successful.
"I don’t think it’s any secret that the public feels that the legislature is not listening to their concerns in general," he told FOX 13 News. "Not just our concerns, but the public’s concerns. This is our attempt, this is the way to make them listen."
Also on Wednesday, a group of people filed a series of citizen initiatives with the Lt. Governor's Office. Steve Maxfield led a group through the Capitol as they sought to file the papers. Their demands include an initiative for initiative reform, tax reform, planning and zoning changes and public records.
"We’re just tired of what the legislature does to people," said Bart Grant, one of the initiative sponsors. "Every time we exercise our right to initiative and referendum. We’re just tired of them just flushing it down the drain every time we pass a citizen initiative and we’re here to make it stick this time."
