DENVER — Hundreds of workers and union activists gathered at the Colorado state capitol on Tuesday to call for changes to the state’s labor laws, which they call outdated and unfair.
Colorado Worker Rights United, a new coalition of workers and labor activists, joined a group of progressive state lawmakers who plan to introduce the Worker Protection Act. Supporters say the proposal will expand worker rights in Colorado.
Liza Nielsen, a shift supervisor at Starbucks in Superior, was among those who lent her support to the proposal.
"I mean, the working class is what makes up Colorado, and so I think it's important to remember that we are what makes this economy tick,” said Nielsen.
In order to get better pay and benefits, Nielsen and her coworkers formed a union three years ago. She says the process wasn’t easy.
“Colorado has some outdated labor laws that prohibit the ease of organizing,” Nielsen said.
While most states require one election to form a strong union, Colorado requires two.
The first vote forms the union. It requires a simple majority.
The second vote allows workers to negotiate union security. This means workers who benefit from the negotiations pay their share of representation fees. It does not require them to join a union or pay dues.
Senator Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, said the second vote is another unnecessary obstacle.
“Colorado makes it difficult for workers to stand for themselves and their coworkers, and I'm appalled that we have a law that restricts workers’ rights in our state,” said Rodriguez.
Workers trying to form unions in Colorado say they have been subjected to many forms of retaliation, including having their hours and benefits cut, being illegally fired, and even surveilled by managers.
The Worker Protection Act would get rid of the second vote requirement.
Supporters believe it will prevent some of the retaliation workers face.
Sophie Mariam, a labor policy analyst with the Colorado Fiscal Institute, said laws that make it harder for unions to form and operate end up hurting everyone.
“For too long, we've seen an attack on labor unions and workers,” said Mariam. “Anti-union laws like Colorado's lower job quality and wages for all workers, and there's zero evidence – zero – that they create more jobs. Rather, Colorado businesses stand to benefit by increasing job satisfaction and giving employees a voice in their working conditions.”
On Tuesday, the Colorado Fiscal Institute also released a new report, which was authored by Mariam, examining the economic benefits of unions.
"Economic evidence tells us that unions improve workers’ lives by ensuring they have the ability to negotiate better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions," the report reads. "However, Colorado is among states that historically adopted policies intended to limit private sector workers’ freedoms to form unions. Today, this suppression of workers’ rights is weakening Colorado’s economy."
Not everyone agrees with the changes the lawmakers are proposing.
“Colorado’s carefully crafted labor laws promote fair policies for workers while allowing for a healthy economic climate for business,” said Loren Furman, the president and CEO of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce.
Furman said the state’s current labor laws work well and provide a good balance.
“It's actually been a model for other states,” said Furman. “We are the only state that has this current structure. But other states and companies look to Colorado as this being the model, because it's a nice balance between labor and business. And we actually have companies that have who want to locate here have said this is this is an incentive for them to come to Colorado.”
Furman said she’s concerned the Worker Protection Act could increase costs and threaten Colorado’s competitiveness.
“At the state chamber of commerce, that is the last thing that we'd like to see,” said Furman.
Lawmakers plan to introduce the Worker Protection Act the first week of the new legislative session in January.
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