Mayor Vetoes Labor Compromise

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After months of compromise between the Anchorage Assembly and public employee unions, the city’s voters may still end up deciding on a controversial labor law due to a mayoral veto.

Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan struck down the substitute for Anchorage Ordinance 37 on Monday afternoon. AO-37, which the mayor championed, prohibited the municipality’s unions from striking, capped pay raises, and put limits on collective bargaining. The law was panned by labor, and a campaign to repeal it collected 20,000 signatures to get their referendum on the ballot.

The ordinance that was passed last week was an effort to avoid that outcome, and it got rid of some elements of AO-37 that labor found unpopular. But the compromise only passed seven to four, one vote short of being able to override a mayoral veto.

The assembly has the option of rejecting the veto at a special meeting on Tuesday night, if they are able to secure the eighth necessary vote. If they cannot, AO-37 will remain law until the repeal question is put to voters in November. Mayor Sullivan, who is running for lieutenant governor, is expected to appear on the same ballot.