Unions urge Democrats to reject Spanberger’s changes to collective bargaining bill

Virginia labor unions and Gov. Abigail Spanberger disagree about the best way to expand collective bargaining to more public employees in Virginia. 

After meeting with the Spanberger administration on Monday, a coalition of labor unions is still calling for state lawmakers to reject the governor’s proposed changes to a bill that would expand collective bargaining rights to public employees. 

Katie Baker, a spokesperson for the unions at the meeting, told Dogwood the unions met in Richmond with the Spanberger administration, but declined to share details about who was there and what was said. 

The Spanberger administration did not respond to requests for comment. 

At issue is disagreement over how best to expand collective bargaining rights to public sector employees, who are mostly banned from negotiating union contracts in Virginia. Since 2021, localities have had the option to give local government and school board workers the right to collective bargaining and over a dozen have done so. 

Spanberger last week released her proposed changes to legislation to expand collective bargaining to state and local government workers. The labor coalition that includes the Virginia Education Association (VEA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Virginia 512 criticized the changes as being “anti-worker” and said they effectively gutted the bill. 

The union coalition took issue with Spanberger’s proposals to delay implementation of the bill for local government and school board employees until 2030 and to shift more discretion to a new board made up of gubernatorial appointees. 

“ I cannot overstate that the changes to this bill amount to a substantial rewrite,” Baker said during a virtual press conference on Friday.

The unions are calling on state lawmakers to reject Spanberger’s changes and that position did not change after Monday’s meeting with the Spanberger administration. 

A source familiar with the situation said the governor was not at Monday’s meeting, but members of her cabinet were. This source said the Spanberger administration asked for the meeting because “they are getting spooked on how bad the bill is for workers especially given how low her approval ratings are.”

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell carried the legislation in the Virginia Senate and has told Dogwood he wouldn’t support Spanberger’s changes. Surovell, who wasn’t at Monday’s meeting with the governor’s administration, said he thinks the labor unions remain concerned that Spanberger’s amendments are “anti-public worker” and are disappointed that the “changes were proposed at the 11th hour instead of during the legislative process.” 

At a virtual press conference last week, Spanberger defended the changes she’s asking for in the bill. 

“I’m going to continue having conversations with members of the General Assembly making very, very clear why it is so vital that they move forward with the amendments that I put forward,” Spanberger told reporters. “Those amendments are vital to be able to create a program that is a pretty substantial change for the Commonwealth of Virginia, one that is important, but one that needs to be done methodically and purposefully.”

State lawmakers return to Richmond on Wednesday to consider Spanberger’s actions on legislation. If they reject Spanberger’s changes, she will have to decide whether to sign the General Assembly’s bill into law or veto legislation supported by the same unions who helped elect her governor last year.

As a candidate, Spanberger shot a video released in October showing her spending time with SEIU Virginia 512 home care worker Elisha Woods and her client, Ethan. In the video, Woods asks Spanberger if she supports collective bargaining.

“The short answer is, ‘Yes,’” Spanberger replies. “I know the things you’re talking about are like trainings that ensure that he’s getting what he needs, and I think that one of the important elements of formalizing collective bargaining is the acknowledgement that your calling is a career, and that when we want people who are dedicated to serving the most vulnerable, ensuring that you all have a voice is what’s really important.”

In February, Spanberger met briefly with SEIU Virginia 512 members in Richmond after home care workers had been cut from the Senate version of the bill and before they were ultimately added back into the legislation that landed on her desk. 

“I know we’ve had some hiccups along the way,” Spanberger told a cheering crowd of SEIU members. “But I am incredibly committed to continuing to work with the SEIU team to make sure that the conversations we have had for years and years and years about ensuring that you all have a voice together is one that we are actually able to deliver on here in Richmond.”