No Collective Bargaining for Publc Employees in Vrginia

The right of public employees to bagain collectively has recently come under attack in many states.  Don't worry Virginians, there's no hope here for public employee unions.   

As recently as 1993, the somewhat liberal Douglas Wilder signed legislation making it clear that in our cradle of democracy public employers cannot recognize any employee association as the bargaining agent of employees.  Collective bargaining agreements covering public employees are also forbidden.  Virginia public employees do have the right to form associations for the limited purpose of promoting employee interests with public employers.  After all, Virginia law cannot violate the First Amendment to the US Constitution. 

The 1993 legislation easily passed both houses of the Virginia General Assembly.  The vote was 78 to 21 in the House of Delegates and 36 to 3 in the Senate.  Even the Democrats voted in favor of the legislation by large majorities. 

Virginia was also one of the first so-called right to work states.  Allowed by the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, right to work laws prohbit private employers and labor unions from entering into agreements making membership or the payment of union dues or fees a condition of employment, either before or after hiring.  You can rest assured that in the absence of the pre-emption of federal labor-management laws, Virginia would find a way to outlaw collective bargaining in the private sector.

Democracy in the workplace has never taken root in Virginia.  The demonstrators in Madison are fighting to stop Wisconsin from becoming like Virginia.  Maybe Virginia will change someday, but don't hold your breath.