| RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia AFL-CIO today celebrated the advancement of a bill that would give the freedom to collectively bargain for a contract to public service workers across the Commonwealth.
SB 374, patroned by Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax), passed out of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee by a vote of 9-6 this afternoon.
The legislation builds on a historic law that has led to a surge of public service workers winning collective bargaining rights in localities that include Fairfax, Richmond, Alexandria, Prince William County and Loudoun County. Senator Boysko’s bill would grant collective bargaining rights to state workers and employees of local governments in every zip code of Virginia.
“Our public service workers educate our children and keep our communities clean, safe and strong,” said Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays. “We applaud the members of the Committee who voted with the workers who keep our Commonwealth running. Our communities are better served when the workers who power them have a seat at the table and a voice on the job.”
A poll from Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center showed 68 percent of Virginia voters support public sector collective bargaining rights.
Delegate Kathy Tran is carrying the companion bill in the House of Delegates. HB 1001 last week passed out of House Labor and Commerce Subcommittee #2 and has been referred to the House Committee on Appropriations. |
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