DENVER—Republican lawmakers vowed Friday to press majority Democrats to ban strikes by state government employees after the attorney general said walkouts could be legal under an executive order by the governor.
Gov. Bill Ritter’s order, issued Nov. 2, authorized “partnership agreements” allowing workers to meet with managers to discuss concerns. Although Ritter, a Democrat, said his order barred strikes, Attorney General John Suthers said a previous court ruling could allow them.
But Suthers, a Republican, also noted that the director of the state Division of Labor could still stop state workers from striking on the grounds that the public interest was affected.
Republicans jumped on the issue shortly after Ritter issued his order, accusing him of pandering to labor and circumventing the Legislature.
GOP Sen. Andy McElhany of Colorado Springs, the Senate minority leader, asked Suthers for a formal opinion on whether the order allowed strikes. Suthers released the opinion Thursday.
Ritter’s spokesman, Evan Dreyer, has said Ritter would sign a bill barring strikes by state employees if the Legislature passed one but did not think it was necessary.
Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, challenged Democrats Friday to “start counting votes” for a ban.
“The governor and some legislative Democrats have said they’re OK with the Republicans’ proposed strike ban, and that’s fine and well, but it’s also early in the game and easy to make promises,” he said.
“My guess is the governor is still hoping this whole issue goes away. That is why we must make one thing clear to the administration and its allies in the Legislature: ‘We will hold your feet to the fire,'” Mitchell said.
