A chilly breeze blew as Governor Spanberger walked up and addressed the dozens of SEIU home health care workers union members set to lobby their elected officials Wednesday.
“I am incredibly committed to continue to work with the SEIU team to make sure the conversations we’ve had for years and years and years about ensuring you all have a voice together is one we’re actually able to deliver on here in Richmond,” Spanberger told the crowd.
The fight over collective bargaining in Virginia is ongoing at the legislature, where competing efforts offer different protections. Both chambers are focused on public employees, but there are differences. In the House, campus workers are reportedly left out; in the Senate, home health care workers are left out.
For Senate Majority Leader and Fairfax Senator Scott Surovell, who spent time in college at James Madison University working in the cafeteria, his interest is a bit personal.
“I appreciate the fact a lot of students got to work to pay their way through college and it's important that those students have representation on college campuses just like other government workers do,” Surovell said.
As for home health care workers, Surovell said a new state authority was needed to make them state employees and not step on collective bargaining rights in the private sector. He said they want to include them, but it could take time.
As for SEIU, Julia Newton, the group’s political coordinator, is hopeful Spanberger’s support will make sure no one is left out.
“We want collective bargaining for all people. We don’t want any carveouts at all,” Newton told Radio IQ.
Both chambers' bills are still working through the process and are likely to be confirmed before heading to Spanberger's desk in the coming weeks. Who’s covered remains to be seen.
