Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation that would expand collective bargaining rights for public employees to try to curry favor among her MAGA critics.
Wonder how that’s working out for her?
“After getting slammed by Republicans for the spineless attempt to dodge the fallout and dump the consequences on the next administration, the governor has finally vetoed the collective bargaining bill. “This is a massive victory for Virginians. Even Democrats were screaming from the rooftops that this would’ve delivered the single largest tax increase in Virginia history,” State Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougle said.
McDougle, of course, is misrepresenting “Democrats screaming from the rooftops” – that’s what you call not even good gaslighting.
But still.
Spanberger just threw a picksix at the expense of teachers, firefighters, home care workers, state workers, county workers, city workers, higher ed workers, and McDougle is doing a touchdown dance.
ICYMI
Here’s failed former statewide candidate Mark Obenshain, who still collects a government paycheck through the State Senate.
“Gov. Spanberger does not deserve credit for vetoing statewide collective bargaining,” Obenshain said, noting that Spanberger doesn’t oppose collective bargaining – “her only objection was that the delay wasn’t long enough.”
“Her amendment would have pushed implementation all the way to 2030 – an extraordinary attempt to kick the consequences entirely beyond her own term in office so another governor and another General Assembly would be left holding the bag,” Obenshain said.
“When lawmakers rejected her effort to avoid political accountability, she vetoed the bill.
“This veto was not about protecting taxpayers, local governments, or Virginia families from the costs of forced collective bargaining.
“It was about protecting Abigail Spanberger from the blame,” Obenshain said.
I’d say, all told, this is working out great for Spanberger.
She vetoed legislation that would have enacted a campaign promise to extend an olive branch to the MAGAs, and they’re using it to tan her political hide.
I’m all for it, personally.
I mean, she campaigned on this.
It’s as if the Spanberger political team isn’t aware of the existence of the Google machine, which takes us back to a press release from the Spanberger campaign dated Aug. 29, 2025.
Headline: “Spanberger statement on President Trump’s executive order stripping collective bargaining rights from more federal workers.”
“Ahead of Labor Day, I’m proud to stand alongside Virginians in speaking out against this reckless executive order, which risks politicizing some of our country’s most consequential public service roles. Stripping federal workers of their right to negotiate for fair treatment and join a union does nothing to make our Commonwealth or our country safer,” Spanberger said.
“President Trump’s continued attacks on Virginia’s federal workforce are hurting Virginians and their families, undermining nonpartisan public service, and threatening the strength of Virginia’s economy. Virginians deserve a governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general who will stand up to this chaos. As Virginia’s next governor, I will be focused on making our Commonwealth safer, making life more affordable, and building an economy that makes our communities stronger.”
That press release linked to another, dated March 28, 2025.
Headline: “Spanberger statement on Trump’s executive order to end collective bargaining rights for federal workers.”
“Virginia is home to thousands of dedicated federal employees who work tirelessly every day to strengthen our communities, care for our veterans, and keep our communities safe. These nonpartisan professionals devote their careers to serving our nation, and they deserve a workplace safe from political interference or retaliation.
“Ending these protections threatens the livelihoods of families in communities across the Commonwealth, risks politicizing some of our country’s most consequential roles, and does nothing to make our government more efficient. Our leaders should be focused on making the Commonwealth safer and more affordable — not undermining Virginians’ rights.”
“Not undermining Virginians’ rights” – ri-i-i-ight.
I get in trouble with Democrats in Richmond and DC because I consistently point out that the Ds are good at pretending to care about the daily lives of average folks, but when push comes to shove, they’re no better than the Rs who march to the orders of their big-money donors on matters of any import.
At least now, more people on our side are seeing what I’ve been seeing for years now.
“Today, Gov. Abigail Spanberger turned her back on working people across the Commonwealth by vetoing legislation that would have finally guaranteed public sector workers the right to collectively bargain,” the Virginia AFL-CIO said at the beginning of a lengthy rebuke of Spanberger that went out today.
Warning: this one gets angry quick.
“Gov. Spanberger campaigned publicly and privately on promises to affordability, to support working families and respect workers’ rights. We all took those promises seriously. Because of that, we believed we finally had a governor who understood the dignity of work and the importance of collective bargaining rights.
“Instead, when presented with the opportunity to make history and deliver on those promises, she chose to side with fear, political calculation, business, and the same anti-worker arguments that have been used for generations to deny workers power in Virginia. …
“This legislation was not radical. It was not unreasonable. It simply would have guaranteed public employees the basic freedom to negotiate over wages, benefits, and working conditions – rights already enjoyed by workers in much of the country.
“For generations, Virginia’s ban on public sector collective bargaining has been a stain on our Commonwealth and deeply rooted in a history of denying workers, particularly Black workers, power and dignity on the job. Workers have waited 78 years for Virginia to move forward. Today, Gov. Spanberger chose to drag Virginia backward. Every public worker in Virginia will remember who stood with them and who abandoned them when it mattered most. …
“Workers deserved courage from this governor. Instead, they got a veto.
“And Virginia workers will not forget it.”
She really fired up the firefighters.
“It is a sad day for all workers in Virginia,” said Robert L. Bragg III, president of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters. “Since the very beginning of her campaign, we supported the governor because of her past support of workers and her promise to correct the decades-long issue of public-sector collective bargaining. Her promises to us, and all workers, turned out to be hollow and nothing more than campaign rhetoric.”
Ouch.
It gets hotter.
“Virginia’s firefighters will continue running into danger, saving lives and making a difference every single day in this Commonwealth,” Bragg said. “Virginians trust their firefighters will show up when they are needed most. Unfortunately, now firefighters know they cannot trust their governor to show up for them.”
Support AFP
Share
Chris Graham
