SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that bans collective bargaining for teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public employees, making it one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country.

The bill passed the Republican-led Senate in a 16-13 vote after an attempt to introduce a compromise failed. The measure, which had already cleared the House, now heads to Governor Spencer Cox, who has yet to say whether he will sign or veto it.

"If there's not going to be consensus, then let's just run it on its face," said Sen. Kirk Cullimore, the bill's sponsor in the Senate.

While public employees can still join unions, the bill prevents unions from negotiating on behalf of their members for wages, benefits, and working conditions. The change removes the unions' ability to collectively represent workers, requiring them to negotiate directly with their employers instead.

Supporters say the bill gives individual employees more power by eliminating union intermediaries, but opponents argue it silences the collective voice of workers.

"This bill turns a civil servant into an indentured servant," said Sen. Kathleen Riebe, a Salt Lake City Democrat and public school teacher, ahead of the vote. "The people that protect you, the people that care for you, and the people that make this city run are asking you not to pass this bill."

The Utah Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union, is calling on Governor Cox to veto the bill, arguing that it is a direct attack on educators.

"This is not a good deal for them," said Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union. "If you sign this document and then later change your mind, you are left without any power to fight back."

Firefighters have also raised concerns about the risks this bill poses to worker safety. Jack Tidrow, a firefighter who has protested at the state Capitol for two weeks, warned that unions play a critical role in keeping firefighters safe on the job.

"This will make Utah less safe," Tidrow told reporters after the vote.

Republicans defended the bill, saying it ensures more direct communication between employees and their employers.

"We have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that they feel respected," Cullimore said. "We here have passed bills to directly support teacher pay when it wasn't getting done at the local level, when it wasn't getting done by the union."

His House co-sponsor, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, echoed this point, arguing that some conservative workers feel unions don't always represent their interests.

"Left-leaning teachers unions should not have all the negotiating power," Teuscher said.

The bill did not pass with veto-proof margins, meaning that if Cox vetoes it, Republicans will need additional votes to override the decision. All Senate Democrats and seven Republicans opposed the bill.

If signed into law, Utah would join North Carolina and South Carolina as the most restrictive states for public sector unions.