Unionization in Utah's Municipalities: A “Right-to-Work” Case Study

In recent years a dramatic increase has been seen in the number of public sector employees involved in union activities. Local government entities encompass some of the most fertile union ground in the United States. This increase in public sector unionism is proportional to declines in private sector unionism. For traditionally private sector unions to compensate for membership declines, it became necessary for labor organizations to move into areas which had largely been untapped and unorganized. States, like Utah, which do not have statutes permitting the recognition of public sector employee unions, but which do have right-to-work laws, present unique problems for labor unions. This study presents the findings of a survey assessing the status of public employee unions in Utah's municipalities given the absence of a public sector bargaining statute and the presence of a right-to-work law. Key indicators include local administrators' understanding of “right-to-work,” the size and type of municipality, the frequency of collective bargaining agreements, the frequency of formal recognition of public employee groups, the relationship between the presence or absence of collective bargaining agreements and the employee dispute resolution process, collective bargaining agreements and the employee dispute resolution process, collective bargaining agreements and the employee dispute resolution process, and the municipalities' reasons for employee group recognition or non-recognition. The findings are followed by specific recommendations for action.