SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — On Friday, Utah’s Republican governor enacted a ban on collective bargaining, a measure being described by experts as one of the most stringent labor laws in the nation, despite significant pushback from union members.

Starting July 1, unions representing teachers, firefighters, police officers, transit staff, and other public employees in Utah will be prohibited from negotiating for improved wages and working conditions on their behalf.

Governor Spencer Cox made the announcement on Friday evening after numerous rallies had taken place outside his office throughout the week, where thousands of union members from both the public and private sectors urged him to reject the bill. The measure was narrowly approved by the Republican-led Legislature the previous week, following the abandonment of a proposed compromise that would have softened the outright ban.

“I’m disappointed that the final process did not yield a compromise that was once on the table and accepted by some stakeholders,” Cox expressed in a statement regarding his decision to sign the bill.

The legislation was approved without veto-proof majority, meaning that had Cox chosen to veto it, Republican supporters would have needed to secure additional backing to override his decision.

With this new law, Utah aligns itself with North Carolina and South Carolina as states imposing some of the most severe restrictions on public sector unions, according to John Logan, a labor expert at San Francisco State University. Many educators, who frequently utilize collective bargaining, view this law as a strategic move by Republicans aimed at diminishing the political influence of teachers’ unions and advancing their educational policies.

Supporters of the bill argued it was essential to enable employers to directly engage with all employees rather than communicating solely through union representatives. The Utah Education Association, which is the largest union representing public education employees in the state, criticized Governor Cox for disregarding the voices of numerous workers who called for a veto. The union is now considering launching a ballot referendum to challenge the law, although such an initiative could incur significant costs.

“In spite of overwhelming opposition, Governor Spencer Cox and the Legislature have ignored the concerns of thousands,” stated the union. “This is a clear attack on public employees and undermines our right to advocate for the success of our profession and our students.”

Governor Cox’s decision coincides with President Donald Trump working to drastically reduce the U.S. Education Department’s budget and pressuring staff to resign.

Additionally, on Friday, Governor Cox signed a bill prohibiting transgender students from residing in dormitories that match their gender identity at colleges. Under this legislation, students at public colleges and universities will only be allowed to access gender-specific facilities that correspond with their assigned sex at birth. This marks the first explicit restriction on transgender individuals regarding university housing, although some states have sweeping bathroom laws potentially applicable to dorm settings.