RICHMOND, Va. -- A Democrat-led Virginia Senate panel has defeated a measure that would have repealed the ability for certain local public sector employees to engage in collective bargaining. The vote was 12-3, and there was no public comment.
Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain was carrying the bill, which was a priority of GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin. It also contained provisions dealing with wage rate agreements and project labor agreements.
Obenshain said collective bargaining had come with administrative costs running into the “millions” for localities that have opted into it under a measure passed in 2020.
There is a House version of the bill but little reason to think it would face a different outcome once it crossed over to the Senate.
