Utah labor unions are working to repeal the state's recent ban on collective bargaining for public employees - and they're on a tight timeline. The coalition known as "Protect Utah Workers" is working to gather 141,000 signatures by tomorrow, to get the issue on the 2026 ballot. Backers of the law that was House Bill 267 argue it will make public employers' wages and benefits more competitive.

Donavan Minutes, a Salt Lake City firefighter, said collective bargaining is about more than higher wages, and added that it is also about safety, especially in his line of work.

"We're able to have 'four-handed' staffing in Salt Lake City because our union fought and negotiated for that standard - that way, when there is an emergency, you have four highly trained firefighters that are prepared to show up," he explained. "And in contrast, you have other departments, they don't have the same collective bargaining power as we've been able to have."

Minutes added the peer support programs also run through their union make a positive difference. Those who want to ban collective bargaining argue tax dollars should serve the public, not union interests. But Protect Utah Workers says it's confident the group will reach the signature goal by tomorrow's deadline.

Hailey Higgins, Utah Education Association spokesperson, called HB 267 a "highly unpopular bill" and "a solution looking for a problem." She argued collective bargaining helps all employees, even those who aren't union members.

"It's not a political move, it just gives the people of Utah an opportunity to say whether they want their public unions to bargain collectively or not. We're confident we'll be able to get this on the November ballot of next year," she contended.

Utah has one of the most challenging referendum processes in the nation, requiring sponsors to get signatures from 8% of Utah voters, from at least 15 of the 29 Senate districts and within 30 days of the petition's launch. Higgins said it has been hard work, but is an effort worth fighting for.

"We could not have done what we have done so far without all of our supporters. We have law enforcement who have joined into this coalition, as well as mine workers, steel workers, nurses and food service workers," she continued. "It's been pretty remarkable to see the solidarity among our union partners, but also the public."

In Colorado, 83 workers were killed on the job in 2023, according to the AFL-CIO's latest "Death on the Job" report.

The report comes after the Trump administration eliminated the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the nation's only worker safety research agency. The agency worked with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to protect workers from asbestos, lead, black lung and more.

Jason Wardrip, business manager for the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council, said OSHA regulations have saved more than 700,000 lives.

"These things are written in blood," Wardrip stressed. "Every regulation in OSHA is because somebody has been injured or perished. Because this has happened -- somewhere, somehow -- in the world."

Nationally, more than 5,200 workers were killed on the job and more than 135,000 died from work-related diseases in 2023.

Colorado's relationship with organized labor, which has historically advocated for worker safety over profits, has been mixed. Lawmakers strengthened child labor protections in 2023 but Gov. Jared Polis plans to veto a measure which would remove barriers blocking workers from joining a union.

Workers of color continue to be most at risk of injury or death. Latino workers are 26% more likely to die on the job. In 2023, 659 Black workers died, up from 653 two years earlier.

Shane Wittstruck, communications specialist for the Colorado AFL-CIO, said OSHA is not well-funded enough to protect those workers.

"It would take 185 years to inspect every single workplace once," Wittstruck pointed out. "Right now their current budget only amounts to less than $4 to protect each worker."

Wardrip is especially displeased that cuts to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health were made by billionaire Elon Musk.

"Somebody that has never had to work with their hands, ever, has decided to start stripping hardworking people's ability to stay safe, and have regulations governing their safety on the job site," Wardrip asserted. "That's really gross."


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Solving North Dakota's child-care crisis is taking another turn, with adoption of a new tax credit.

The incentive is geared for employers who make contributions toward their employee's child-care costs.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong has signed a bill that allows employers to claim a tax credit of 50%, for child-care stipends they might offer as part of a benefits package.

Bill supporters say it might convince more businesses to meet the needs of staff members with young kids.

Bill Bauman, CEO of the Missouri Valley Family YMCA in Bismarck, said he hopes it'll be effective in removing stress on the child-care system by keeping parents in the workforce.

"It's so vital to our economy," said Bauman, "our community, our workforce and our families."

The YMCAs are collectively the largest provider of child-care services in North Dakota, and Bauman said they've seen progress in closing gaps based on 2023 investments from the state.

Other organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce agree that previous steps have helped.

But officials note some solutions have limitations, pointing to age and income eligibility levels under the Working Parents Child Care Relief Program.

Bauman credited policymakers for continuing to monitor how these efforts are playing out, and whether they need to try something new.

He suggested it's going to take additional time to measure the effectiveness of new programs and incentives.

"Some are highly utilized and others maybe not as utilized," said Bauman, "so you have to be able to adjust."

According to a 2024 North Dakota business survey from the Chamber of Commerce, 69% of respondents indicated that child care was an issue for their organization.

A similar percentage indicated support for this type of incentive to help recruit and retain workers.



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Thousands are expected to rally in Harrisburg on Monday for a "Raise the Wage and Immigrant Rights Day of Action."

More than 47,000 Pennsylvania workers earn the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour or less.

Jarrett Smith, legislative director for the Service Employees International Union, said Pennsylvania hasn't raised its minimum wage in more than 15 years, while more than 30 other states and Washington, D.C., have all moved toward $15 an hour.

Smith said this makes it harder for the state to stay competitive.

"We are demanding that we raise the wage in Pennsylvania to $15 an hour," he said, and "that we include a cost-of-living adjustment so that we don't have to keep coming back, year after year."

Smith said the coalition Pennsylvania Stands Up is leading the protest, backed by labor and community groups and some lawmakers.

Two years ago, the House passed a bill to raise the state minimum wage to $15 by 2026, but the Senate hasn't acted. Smith said Gov. Josh Shapiro has pointed out it could bring in up to $60 million a year in tax revenue.

Smith said it's key to distinguish low-wage from minimum-wage workers. Nearly 1.2 million Pennsylvanians earn wages less than $15 an hour, and many are single moms. He added that these workers often support families, pushing the state to cover gaps with programs such as SNAP and Medicaid.

"When we talk about how do we actually lift workers out of poverty," he said, "one of the things that you can do is raise that floor and give families the financial independence to actually earn a wage that's going to allow them to not have to make decisions between paying a grocery bill or getting health care."

Smith noted that Pennsylvania is losing workers to neighboring states with higher minimum wages, making it hard to keep a strong workforce.

"We are one of the fastest-shrinking states in the Northeast," he said. "New Jersey, across the border, they have a $15 minimum wage to start, and they're already increasing it for certain workforces, like health care and education."

He added that SEIU represents around 80,000 service workers in the state, across industries such as government, health care and food service. The union is also negotiating its first national Starbucks contract.


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