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Hampton mayor says regional mayors urged General Assembly not to mandate local collective bargaining
Summary
Mayor James A. Gray told the council he and six other regional mayors signed a letter urging the Virginia General Assembly not to require collective bargaining for local government employees, saying a state mandate would impose unfunded costs on cities and reduce local choice.
Mayor James A. Gray told the council he and the mayors of six Hampton Roads cities sent a joint letter to the General Assembly and governor asking them not to impose statewide mandates on collective bargaining for local public employees.
"It was asking the state not to mandate policies that add additional cost burdens on the localities," Gray said, adding that Hampton has worked to provide competitive pay and benefits and that the city prefers local option over a state mandate. He said collective bargaining can increase costs for localities because it may require additional staff and legal resources to administer bargaining units.
The mayor emphasized the letter was not "against unions" and said he had been a union member during his career in fire service. Gray said some amendments at the General Assembly might offer relief and that he hoped changes could preserve local flexibility.
The remark came during the meeting's opening announcements; no formal city action was taken on the legislative proposal. Gray said the mayoral letter reflects concern about potential unfunded mandates and is meant to preserve local decision-making about labor relations.
