1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

Vote NO HB 267 Let me make this clear: my grandfather organized and led the fight to unionize Utah’s firefighters over 40 years ago. He didn’t do it for glory or recognition—he did it because firefighters were being treated as disposable labor. They were forced to paint stations, perform maintenance, and follow orders under the constant threat of being fired. They were denied proper protective equipment, all so the system could cut corners and save a few dollars. These weren’t just jobs to them; they were lives on the line, and they fought tooth and nail for the basic rights and dignity they deserved. Now, decades later, our state legislators have the audacity to try to roll back those hard-won rights. Let that sink in. After all the sacrifices, all the battles fought, they want to drag us backward. This isn’t just about firefighters—it’s about every worker in this state. It’s about EMS personnel who risk their lives daily without the support they need. It’s about teachers who are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated while trying to educate our children. This isn’t progress; it’s a calculated erosion of rights, a blatant disregard for the people who keep this state running. If we allow this to happen, we’re not just betraying the firefighters, EMS workers, and teachers of today—we’re betraying the legacy of those who fought before us. We’re saying their struggles meant nothing. My grandfather’s fight wasn’t just for his generation; it was for ours, and for every generation to come. If we sit back and let these rights be stripped away, we’re complicit in the very injustice he fought to end. Our firefighters deserve better. Our EMS deserves better. Our teachers deserve better. And if our legislators won’t stand up for them, then we must. The clock doesn’t move backward unless we let it.