A coalition of Colorado workers, labor activists and grassroots organizers today announced the launch of Colorado Worker Rights United (CWRU) and joined with state Democratic lawmakers to introduce the Worker Protection Act. workers.

This legislation, led by state Reps. Javier Mabrey (D-Denver), Jennifer Bacon, state senators Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge) and Robert Rodiguez (D-Denver), would overhaul labor laws in Colorado, streamlining the process. to form a union and expand workplace protections. Unlike other states, Colorado demands that workers hold a second electionthis time with a higher threshold, to begin discussions on union security, a crucial element of the collective agreements which exceed the representation costs.

“Colorado is the only state that requires a second election to ensure union security, which poses an additional obstacle for workers who want the freedom to bargain to put more money in the pockets of working families, reduce wealth gap and increase worker safety. said Senator Rodiguez, one of the bill’s co-sponsors and Colorado Senate Majority Leader. “Aligning Colorado’s workers’ comp law with most other states requiring a single election will allow workers to oppose a level playing field with employers. »

Labor advocates have been encouraged by what they see as a groundswell of union support. Even at a time in history when economic inequality is more pronounced than ever, recent polls reveal that 7 out of 10 Americans supporting unions, an unprecedented record.

Activists and organizers have been further encouraged by the various labor reform measures passed across the country in this month’s elections. Even states that ended up voting for Donald Trump by a large majority simultaneously adopted pro-worker initiatives. Missouri, Alaska and Nebraska all passed guaranteed paid sick leave and Missouri and Alaska went further by voting for increase the minimum wage in their states. CWRU sees this as a sign that Americans are ready to join the labor community to promote economic change.

Danielson, a lead sponsor of the Worker Protection Act, acknowledged the broad community support the proposal has received. “I want to thank the broad coalition that is here today alongside our union brothers and sisters, you have environmental organizations, faith organizations and community organizations here today to support this important measure.”

“Workers deserve a safe place to do their jobs, they deserve fair pay for the hard work they do, protections against retaliation, and a seat at the table in decisions about their jobs and workplaces. We have implemented an unfair and outdated policy that makes it harder for workers to join a union, harder to demand the basic human rights they deserve that come with union safety in the workplace. Now is the time to solve this problem and pass the Worker Protection Act,” Danielson said. “Union security not only increases the safety and benefits of workers, but also the general public. For example, protected unionized nurses feel comfortable advocating for patient care, construction workers with union security are able to report unsafe bills, safe hospitality workers feel empowered to discuss food safety threats to avoid dangerous situations like the recent outbreak of E. Coli to McDonalds, and many other ways. When you improve the workplace for workers, it extends to the general population. This change to Colorado law is long overdue.

After the event, we spoke with Rep. Javier Mabrey, who moderated the press conference.

“I’m very excited to work on this bill and I’m asking my colleagues something simple: whether or not they support collective bargaining. It is especially difficult to bargain collectively here in Colorado because we have an arbitrary and unnecessary second election to form a union. This second election only exists to make it more difficult to form a union. Our legislation aims to ensure that it is as easy to form a union in Colorado as it is in any other worker-friendly state in the country.

Mabrey had a message for other members of his party. He sees the trio the Democratic Party holds in Colorado politics as an opportunity for Democrats to reaffirm their commitment to unions. Mabrey and other lawmakers who sponsored the bill worked closely with union leaders to craft this legislation.

Mabrey hoped his fellow Republicans would take this opportunity to demonstrate their support for Colorado workers, but he said he doubted they would take advantage of the opportunity.

Shad Murib, chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party, praised the lawmakers’ efforts. “Colorado workers have been under attack for too long and the Worker Protection Act will put an end to it. We are ready to adopt this bill, walk our talk and defend our democratic values. We all agree that Colorado should be one of the best places to start a business, but it should also be one of the best places to work in this country,” Murib said.

Murib added: “Better wages, safer working conditions and better health benefits are what being unionized promises. This means you get happier, more protective workers. That means we attract businesses to the state that are ready to support a safe, productive and happy workforce.

Mourib later said in an interview that the proposed legislation would cut bureaucracy and “remove” unnecessary thresholds that hinder the creation of better workplaces. Murib hopes to see bipartisan support for the measure in the Legislature, although he expressed skepticism that Republican leaders would cross the line.

“The Republican Party doesn’t seem to be listening to its constituents who are demanding the same thing, and they continually oppose worker protections. Instead, they supported giveaways to the richest corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals in the state who are trying to run our politics,” Murib said.

Murib said the Colorado Democratic Party specifically wants to refocus on labor issues. He says that during his tenure as president, he tried to bring the voice and work of unions into campaigns and legislative priorities.

Between remarks from lawmakers, union organizers and Colorado workers took the microphone to advocate for expanded worker protections.

Rich Martin, a 38-year King Soopers employee and UFCW organizer, highlighted how Colorado’s current law creates barriers to unionizing and what impact that has on the workforce.

“Most of the stores were organized before Colorado’s unjust law went into effect more than eighty years ago. This means that they (King Soopers workers) were able to negotiate union security after the first election. My store in Broomfield opened later and it’s the only King Soopers without union security,” Martin told the crowd. “About seven years ago, we decided to hold a second vote to organize union security. Management led a very intense union campaign. The store manager didn’t allow people to take the time to vote, so we lost the vote. Without union security, King Soopers can outsource its work to subcontractors, and we do. We don’t know if they have completed background checks or had proper food safety training. We have many concerns that we do not feel comfortable expressing to management, such as not having enough time to clean properly to protect the safety of workers and customers.

Another organizer who spoke at the event was Liza Nielsen, a Starbucks employee who helped organize the first union in a Starbucks in Colorado. Nielsen says that even though they were successful in forming a union, they faced significant retaliation and anti-union tactics from the company. Despite this, Nielsen was proud to say his union was finally at the negotiating table with the company and hoped for a ratified collective agreement by the end of the year.

Nielsen told CTR, “The Worker Protection Act is extremely important in codifying protections in our state law and in addressing much of our outdated labor law. There are currently certain limitations in our labor law that make it difficult to organize effectively and efficiently. The bill would give us a simpler way to fight for higher wages, safer working conditions, and less workplace retaliation for unionizing.

Today’s event formally introduced the Worker Protection Act, which Democratic leaders in both chambers say they intend to bring up for debate during the first week of this legislative session. Union organizers took the opportunity today to announce their labor coalition, Colorado Worker Rights United, which includes a wide range of unions like SAG-AFTRA, AFSCME, Teamsters Local No. 455, SEIU, the United Steelworkers Union, and many more. Other community organizations like New Era Colorado, the Bell Policy Center, the Colorado Working Families Party and the Colorado Fiscal Institute joined in expressing support for the bill.