A controversial bill in the US state of Utah, HB 267, is making its way through the state legislature, sparking intense debate and widespread opposition.
If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal for any federal agency in Utah to recognize labor unions or engage in collective bargaining with their employees. This sweeping measure would impact thousands of workers, including teachers, health care workers, emergency responders, and a variety of other workers employed by federal agencies. Many federal employees rely on unions to fight for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.
The bill has been met with fierce opposition from labor unions, federal workers, civil rights groups, and grassroots organizations. Many of whom see HB 267 as not just harmful to individual employees, but having far-reaching consequences for the broader labor movement and worker’s rights in Utah.
House Bill 267 in Utah, which seeks to ban collective bargaining for public sector unions, is backed by Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan), who authored the bill, and Sen. Kirk Cullimore (R-Sandy), its Senate sponsor[3][6]. The bill has also received support from organizations like the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), which praises it as a measure to empower workers and increase transparency[3].
Citations: [1] https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/02/14/utahs-anti-union-bill-sparks-outcry-as-labor-movement-fights-back/ [2] https://www.fox13now.com/news/politics/hijacked-bill-in-the-utah-senate-may-offer-a-compromise-for-unions [3] https://thefga.org/press/utah-legislature-passes-historic-worker-freedom-and-taxpayer-protection-bill/ [4] https://www.reddit.com/r/Firefighting/comments/1ieh9jk/trouble_on_the_horizon_for_utah_firefighters/ [5] https://myuea.org/stopthepowergrab
The biggest donors to Rep. Jordan Teuscher include the Utah Senate Republican Campaign Committee, which contributed $5,000, and corporate donors such as Reynolds American and Union Pacific Railroad[2][3]. His campaigns have raised over $232,000 across multiple election cycles[5].
For Sen. Kirk Cullimore, major contributions come from entities like Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, which donated $1,000, and other Republican-aligned PACs. Cullimore has also received notable support from local donors in Utah[6][8].
Citations: [1] https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=kyle&order=desc&sort=D [2] https://www.up.com/cs/groups/public/@uprr/@corprel/documents/up_pdf_nativedocs/pdf_up_corp_2023_polit_contrib.pdf [3] https://www.reynoldsamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2022-Political-Corporate-Contributions.pdf [4] https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?cycle=2024&order=asc&page=10&sort=D&zip=84121 [5] https://www.followthemoney.org/entity-details?default=candidate [6] https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/182112/kirk-cullimore-jr [7] https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?cycle=2024&order=asc&sort=A&zip=84133 [8] https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?order=desc&page=8&sort=A&zip=84130
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is a conservative, nonprofit public policy think tank based in Naples, Florida. Founded in 2011 by Tarren Bragdon, it focuses on promoting “free-market” policies aimed at reducing government dependency, welfare reform, election integrity, and healthcare policy. FGA works with policymakers across the U.S. to implement reforms that encourage work and reduce reliance on social safety nets[1][2][5].
The organization is part of the State Policy Network and emphasizes marketing and policy messaging over traditional research. Its funding comes primarily from private donors, including major contributions from the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, DonorsTrust, and the Sarah Scaife Foundation[5][7].
Citations: [1] https://www.bradleyimpactfund.org/areas-of-impact-listing/foundation-for-government-accountability [2] https://thefga.org/about-us/ [3] https://spn.org/organization/foundation-for-governement-accountability/ [4] https://thefga.org/about-us/our-story/ [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_for_Government_Accountability [6] https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundation-for-government-accountability [7] https://sfofexposed.org/foundation-for-government-accountability/ [8] https://www.guidestar.org/profile/45-2637507
I added the quotes.