Virginia Gov. Spanberger will veto collective bargaining bill, state senator says

Kate Seltzer, The Virginian-Pilot on May 13, 2026

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NORFOLK, Va. — Gov. Abigail Spanberger intends to veto legislation that would allow public sector employees to collectively bargain. That’s according to state Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, who sponsored the bill in the state Senate.

Virginia has had a long-standing ban on allowing public employees to organize and collectively negotiate with employers. Labor groups have been hopeful that a Democratic governor might support efforts to repeal the ban.

Spanberger proposed amendments to Surovell’s bill that would have slowed the implementation of collective bargaining for local government employees until 2030. The General Assembly, controlled by Democrats in both chambers, rejected those amendments and sent the legislation back to Spanberger’s desk as it initially passed.

Asked if she would veto the legislation without the amendments, Spanberger told reporters last month that she would continue to have conversations with legislators and make clear that the amendments were vital. She said that the change was important but would need to be done methodically and purposefully.

“It was with that in mind that I put those amendments forward,” she said. “With gratitude to the members of the General Assembly who worked on this, I am in the position of being able to work with the Department of Labor, the secretary of labor, and, frankly, the folks who will ultimately be responsible for the implementation.”

In a letter sent earlier this week, elected officials in localities that have already opted to allow collective bargaining, including Richmond, Fairfax County and Roanoke, urged Spanberger to sign the legislation. All seven mayors in Hampton Roads signed on to a letter to the General Assembly urging legislators to oppose it.

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