THE ISSUE: House Bill 1072 would eliminate a second election requiring a 75 percent supermajority on whether all employees will be bound to pay fees to support the union, a so-called all-union or closed shop. Instead, once a union is organized, union representatives can negotiate with the company to set up an all-union shop and include that in the workers’ contract. Workers would have the final say on the issue when they vote on their overall contract.
FIERCE OPPOSITION: Republicans staged a rare filibuster and the business community is asking Gov. Bill Ritter to veto the measure, saying the bill would discourage businesses from moving to the state. Republicans say Democrats, including Ritter, never told voters this was on their agenda.
HOW COLORADO COMPARES: Colorado is the only state that requires a second election on the all union workplace. There are 27 states that allow unions to negotiate for that right and 22 “right to work” states where workers can never be forced to pay fees to the union.
