Virginia is not for workers: Youngkin vetoes minimum wage increase, paid leave

“I’m still fighting to choose between school or putting food in my fridge,” Jonei Battle, a Richmond teacher’s aide and restaurant worker, said.

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday released his vetoes on a number of bills that would have improved the lives of working-class people in Virginia. 

Below is a roundup of some of the bills Youngkin blocked. The General Assembly will meet in Richmond on April 2 to consider his vetoes, though the possibility of overriding his vetoes is small. 

Minimum wage

Youngkin again blocked legislation that would have put Virginia on the path to raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027. 

Virginia’s current minimum wage is $12.41 an hour. Meanwhile, inequality is rampant in the US, with 10% of the wealthiest Americans controlling 60% of the nation’s wealth. But for Youngkin, a former private equity executive with a net worth north of $400 million as of 2021, the system is working as it should.

“The free market for salaries and wages works,” Youngkin said in his veto statement. 

For many, it’s obvious that Virginia’s current minimum wage is a slap in the face to working people trying to manage the rising costs of rent, groceries, and childcare. 

“I’m still fighting to choose between school or putting food in my fridge,” Jonei Battle, a Richmond teacher’s aide and restaurant worker, said in a statement. “It’s exhausting. It’s honestly not fair at all.”

Paid leave

Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have guaranteed access to paid family and medical leave to more than 3 million Virginia workers who lack the benefit. 

The legislation would have set up an insurance fund so companies could offer up to 12 weeks of paid leave for life events like a new child, caring for a loved one, or recovery from a serious health issue. The program would have provided workers with up to 80% of their wages and allowed them to maintain their health care coverage. 

Youngkin said in his veto statement that states with similar programs struggle “to maintain competitive job growth, attract corporate relocation, secure capital investment, and retain population.”

But according to Virginia Democratic Del. Brianna Sewell, who introduced the legislation, her bill had support from small businesses and doctors. 

“Paid leave is vital to attracting and retaining a strong workforce and would have strengthened Virginia’s economy by ensuring workers can care for their loved ones without risking their livelihoods,” Sewell said in a statement. “I am disheartened for the small business owners who want to provide this benefit to remain competitive with large companies.”

Overtime protections

Youngkin blocked a bill that would have ensured live-in domestic workers are fairly compensated for their labor. The legislation would have given these workers overtime pay protections and a way to fight wage theft. 

Youngkin said in his veto statement the legislation would create confusion and could lead to workers losing their jobs. But advocates decried his veto as an affront to a group of essential workers made up mostly of women of color who help Virginia’s economy thrive.

“They are denied the most basic labor protections that other workers take for granted,” Care in Action, an advocacy group, said in a statement. “By refusing to sign these bills, Governor Youngkin has chosen to stand with those who exploit workers rather than those who do the essential, backbreaking work of caregiving.”

Public sector collective bargaining

Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have expanded collective bargaining rights to more than half a million state and local public service workers like teachers, home care workers, and firefighters. 

Youngkin said in his veto statement that the legislation represented a “fundamental shift in employment policy” in Virginia, which is a right-to-work state. Youngkin said such a shift threatens the funding and delivery of “critical services” and could be a financial burden to taxpayers. 

The Democrats who spearheaded the legislation – Sen. Scott Surovell and Del. Kathy Tran – argued that unions and collective bargaining empower workers and lead to better outcomes for all involved. 

“This decision not only undermines the rights of public employees but also jeopardizes the quality of services that our communities rely on,” Surovell said in a statement. “When workers are empowered to advocate for themselves, it leads to better outcomes for everyone.”