Vermont Voters Enshrine Union Bargaining Rights

Voters approved Proposals 3 and 4, amending the state constitution to protect collective bargaining and equal protection under the law.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Unions

Vermont Voters Enshrine Union Bargaining Rights

Live Poll

Do you support Vermont constitutionally guaranteeing collective bargaining rights for workers?

Vermont voters approved two constitutional amendments on November 3, 2026. Proposal 3 guarantees collective bargaining rights for employees, while Proposal 4 guarantees equal protection under the law.

Why it matters

The amendments add constitutional protections for organized labor and anti-discrimination guarantees in Vermont, which could shape future legal challenges and organizing efforts across the state. Vermont is one of few states with similar labor protections.

Proposal 3 passed with 74.05% of the vote, while Proposal 4 passed with 79%. The campaign supporting Prop 3 spent nearly $800,000 this election cycle, and the legislative votes last year were 29-0 in the Senate and 125-15 in the House.

The players

Vermont Legislature

The state legislature that passed both proposals in two consecutive bienniums before they went to voters.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

A North American labor union whose arm contributed funds to the Prop 3 campaign.

The details

Proposal 3 enshrines collective bargaining rights and bars lawmakers from passing laws that diminish them, and it outlaws right-to-work legislation in the future. Proposal 4 guarantees equal protection regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin.

2022: Voters approved an explicit slavery ban and reproductive autonomy language.
2025: The Legislature passed Proposals 3 and 4 in the second biennium.
November 3, 2026: Voters approved both amendments in referendum.

Political Context

Supporters of Prop 3 described it as a stand against decades-long nationwide efforts to restrict union influence in the U.S. Supporters of Prop 4 said it builds on 14th Amendment protections and shields historically marginalized Vermont communities.

Because Proposal 3 bars future right-to-work legislation and protects collective bargaining, Vermont workers, including farmworkers, could see broader organizing protections than current statute provides. Proposal 4 may also strengthen the legal footing for anti-discrimination lawsuits in the state.

The takeaway

Constitutional protections are harder to change than statutes, so these amendments will shape Vermont labor and civil rights policy for the long term. Residents can track how courts interpret the new language in the years ahead.