University employees who had hoped Virginia’s Democratic-controlled legislature would grant them the right to collectively bargain are now confronting a different reality: One of the bills passed at the recent legislative session would exclude most public university workers altogether.
Lawmakers passed HB 1263 in the legislative session that wrapped up on March 14, which would allow most public sector employees to collectively bargain but excludes most employees at public universities with the exception of “service workers” such as janitors, cafeteria, recycling staff and similar roles. After years of pushing for the right to negotiate for better wages and more stable working conditions, the exclusion came as an unexpected and bitter disappointment to many faculty, staff and student workers at UVA.
What’s more, as conservative groups have increasingly targeted university faculty over what they teach, employees say they need a way to protect themselves and preserve their right to teach freely…