Utah
Utah Republicans take aim at teachers unions amid political clash over education
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday that experts say would establish one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country as Republicans seek to curb the political influence of unions serving teachers and other public service professionals.
The GOP proposal would ban collective bargaining across all of Utah’s public sectors — education, transit, law enforcement and more. It would bar labor unions from negotiating on behalf of workers for better wages and working conditions.
Many educators, the state’s most frequent users of collective bargaining, view the bill as way for Republicans to weaken teachers unions and clear a path for their own education agenda.
“The harm of the bill will be borne by public school educators living and working in every single legislative district,” said Sara Jones of the Utah Education Association. “It sends a message that educators don’t deserve a collective voice in their profession, don’t deserve input on their salaries or working conditions or benefits, or don’t deserve a say in the policies that impact their classrooms.”
Teachers unions are some of the most outspoken opponents of Republican policies in Utah and other states where lawmakers have sought to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, expand school choice vouchers and restrict transgender bathroom use and sports participation in schools.
The unions tend to skew liberal, which Republicans argue makes them unfit to represent teachers with conservative political views.
“We need all voices to be heard in the teaching profession, and not just those that align with the union and their political views,” said Cole Kelley, a Republican on Utah’s State Board of Education who teaches high school in American Fork.
Utah state Rep. Jordan Teuscher, a South Jordan Republican, presents his bill seeking to end public sector collective bargaining, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Hannah Schoenbaum
State Rep. Jordan Teuscher, a South Jordan Republican who is sponsoring the bill, said collective bargaining agreements often restrict workers from participating in their own contract negotiations, only allowing communication between the union representative and the employer. The bill creates a system in which employers can engage directly with all employees when addressing workplace concerns, he said.
The measure passed the GOP-led House Business, Labor and Commerce Committee in a 11-4 vote with support from some of the state’s most powerful Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Schultz.
State employees could still join unions under the bill, but the unions could not formally negotiate on their behalf.
President Donald Trump has backed policies making it harder for workers to unionize, yet his populist appeal helped Republicans make steady gains among union members in the 2024 election. Republicans have tried to bring some blue-collar workers into the fold, but largely from the private sector, said John Logan, a labor expert at San Francisco State University.
Union members in public service professions across Utah raise their hands to speak in opposition to a bill banning public sector collective bargaining, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Hannah Schoenbaum
“Republicans see teachers unions as the main obstacle to transforming public education the way they would like to,” Logan told The Associated Press. “They want the working class on their side, but public sector unions, they don’t have any use for them. Ideologically, they’re just an obstacle.”
Logan said Utah’s bill is “fairly extreme” and would place the state among the most restrictive for public sector unions, along with North Carolina and South Carolina.
Collective bargaining has been banned for decades across all public sector jobs in the Carolinas. The two states have flip-flopped between having the lowest percentage of union workers in the county for the past two decades, with South Carolina currently in lowest spot at 3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In Texas and Georgia, only police and firefighters have the right to bargain. They could not do so under the Utah bill, which also faced opposition from firefighters who worried they would not be able to advocate for proper worker safety without union support.
Utah
Golden Knights vs. Mammoth Game 1 prediction: NHL odds, picks, best bets for Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Utah Mammoth is going to be a trendy underdog pick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not only does Utah have the novelty of this being its first-ever appearance in the postseason going for it, but the Mammoth tick plenty of other boxes that punters look for in a dark horse. They’re fast, dynamic, and create plenty of quality scoring chances.
The only problem is that they are running into the Vegas Golden Knights, arguably the best defensive team in the Western Conference, in Round 1.
Vegas is a -170 favorite to win the series, and it is -152 to win Game 1 on Sunday night.
Mammoth vs. Golden Knights odds, prediction
The Golden Knights had a weird season. Vegas started hot, took its foot off the pedal, and struggled to regain its form down the stretch. That led to a surprising coaching switch late in the campaign, but the move paid immediate dividends as John Tortorella led the Knights to a 7-0-1 record in his eight games behind the bench.
It should be noted that Tortorella benefited from an easy schedule since taking over in Vegas, but it’s hard to deny that the team looks sparked with a new voice in their ear.
What’s especially encouraging for Vegas is that its most glaring weakness, the play of goaltender Carter Hart, has started to trend in the right direction at the exact right time.
And Vegas is so good in its own zone that Hart doesn’t need to stand on his head to get the team over the line against Utah. If he’s just average, the Knights will stand a chance, especially since Utah’s goaltending situation is just as much of a question mark.
Betting on the NHL?
Outside of Vejmelka outplaying Hart, the Mammoth will also need to get this series on their terms if they want to pull the upset. Utah grades out as a slightly above-average defensive outfit, but its strength is up front with dynamic playmakers like Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller, plus sharp-shooter Dylan Guenther.
For those stars to have an impact, the Mammoth will need to get Vegas to open up and engage in a back-and-forth style. I just don’t see that happening with a team that was so disciplined in its own zone all season. The Knights led the NHL in expected goals against and high-danger chances conceded at 5-on-5, which shouldn’t be a shocker given the personnel in Sin City.
Not only does Vegas boast a deep blueline, but forwards Mitch Marner and Mark Stone are regarded as two of the best defensive minds in the entire sport.
Perhaps Utah can blitz Vegas and pull the upset, but I’d need a bigger number to go against the experienced, defensively savvy Knights in a best-of-7.
And if you’re looking for a play with more upside, have a good look at Vegas to pull off the sweep at 12/1.
The Play: Vegas moneyline (-152) | Vegas to sweep the series (12/1, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.
The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.
The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.
This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.
FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.
The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.
Utah
Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary
Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said lawmakers asked the attorney general to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery against Lee.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, running for reelection, addresses delegates during the Davis County Republican Party nominating convention at Syracuse High School on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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