Forming a union — the most reliable pathway to the middle class — is hard enough in this country, but unfortunately, it¶¶Ņõap harder in Colorado than in many states, thanks to a one-of-a-kind law that places unnecessary, redundant hurdles on workers.
At a time when federal worker protections are under attack, the National Labor Relations Board is being gutted, and Americans live with such financial stress that they are often too intimidated to speak up at their workplaces, it¶¶Ņõap time for state leaders to make it easier for working people to win the life-changing benefits of a union.
As the president of Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 30, Iāve seen these challenges firsthand, as we recently won a first contract for workers who support refugees and people in conflict zones at the International Rescue Committeeās Denver office.
Through steadfast organizing, these OPEIU members won pay increases, more sick days and a voice in their workplace. But these wins did not come without additional challenges that deter workers across the state from organizing unions of their own. Not only did they have to win an election to form a union, but they then had to win an election to charge union dues, and will have to do so again for each future contract, an onerous requirement that none of the other twelve IRC offices we represent have to deal with.
Due to the so-called Labor Peace Act, Coloradans have never enjoyed the full benefits of the National Labor Relations Act, which protects Americansā right to unionize, bringing them salaries 10% higher on average than their non-union counterparts. The stateās rampant inequality is the direct byproduct of outdated laws that created a system designed to impede the growth of unions with the explicit original purpose of quelling interracial organizing. These laws leave Coloradoās union density lagging behind the national rate and have inspired anti-union legislation nationally.
To bring these contract wins to workers throughout Colorado, it is essential that we amend the so-called Labor Peace Act now and pass House Bill 1005, a bill spearheaded by Representatives Javier Mabrey and Jennifer Bacon and Senators Jessie Danielson and Iman Jodeh. We call on Gov. Jared Polis to start listening to workers across the state and sign this vital legislation when it lands on his desk again this year.
By forcing workers to constantly re-vote on whether dues can be deducted, employers can easily undermine the will of their employees by prioritizing anti-union hires and undermining the financial stability of the union. This law also forces workers to endlessly focus on rallying their colleagues around the very preservation of their union, diverting limited resources that could be used to fix workplace issues.
Despite Coloradoās law being positioned as a ācompromiseā between workers and management, the Labor Peace Act actually plays out more like the famously anti-union āright-to-work” laws seen elsewhere. In these states, union density is lower and workers earn an average of $1,670 less than their counterparts in states that protect union security.
This is the difference between a family being thrown out on the streets or having enough money for rent, parents having the resources to send their children to college, or a senior being able to enjoy a dignified retirement. For people who must work for a living, who donāt have hundreds of millions to sustain them as they bounce between political offices, this $1,670 can mean everything.
The amendmentĀ would remove this burdensomeĀ extraĀ voteĀ and bring Coloradoās labor laws up to the standards of statesĀ ranging fromĀ California to Montana, sending a message that Colorado is serious about developing anĀ economy thatĀ providesĀ working peopleĀ accessĀ toĀ aĀ comfortable middle-classĀ life.
At a moment when 70% of the country approves of labor unions and our federal government has waged a full-on war against workers, amending this backwards law is essential for working Coloradans to win what they are owed.
And at a time when insurance premiums are soaring and Medicaid, as we know it, could disappear, workers need the employer-provided health insurance that they are almost twice as likely to receive through a collectively bargained contract. Our recent victory at IRC exemplifies this, bringing Denver workers higher incomes, better work-life balances and increased job stability.
The law as it stands does not reflect Coloradansā values, and OPEIU encourages Polis to follow Michiganās 2023 repeal of right-to-work and make it easier for Colorado workers to win the better wages, benefits and working conditions they are entitled to — and that union membership makes much more likely.
Marianne Giordano is a vice president at OPEIU who serves as executive director and CFO of Local 30, where she is also a Coalition Tri-Chair of Kaiser Permanenteās Regional Labor Management Council, a member of the National Labor Management Council Steering Committee and a delegate to the Coalition of Labor Union Women. She is an echo technologist in the Internal Medicine Cardiology Department at Kaiser Permanente San Diego.Ā
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