By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice
When she opened the 75th General Assembly with other lawmakers, Douglas County Republican Sen. Lisa Frizell noted Democrat Gov. Jared Polis’ description of “the free state of Colorado”.
The passage of Senate Bill 25-005 out of the upper chamber Tuesday is proof enough, Frizell says, that those were only words from the head of the ruling party, which led the labor bill.
“This bill does nothing more than to put handcuffs on workers and businesses alike,” Frizell said, noting Colorado is already rated as the sixth most-regulated state in the country.
Senate Bill 25-005, by Majority Leader Sen. Robert Rodriguez and Democrat Sen. Jessie Danielson, which would undo significant portions of an 81-year-old labor relations law, was adopted on a 22-12 party line vote Tuesday by the Democrat-dominated Senate.
A key piece of the legislation eliminates the standing requirement for two elections in forming a union for collective bargaining.
“The middle ground on this [existing] policy, I think, is tilted [away] from the worker,” Rodriguez said.
That’s where he disagrees with Minority Leader Sen. Paul Lundeen, who describes it as the perfect balance between “right-to-work” and pro-union states. Lundeen calls the bill a dismantling of the 81-year Colorado Labor Peace Act.
“It’s a reckless move that prioritizes special interests over the people we are elected to serve,” Lundeen said. “Our [current] law provides a balanced approach. The two-step process ensures workers truly support a union.”
Whether to change the eight decade-old law will now be up to the House, as SB 5 advances to the lower chamber. If supported there, it would go to Gov. Polis to potentially be one of the first laws signed this session.
Lundeen predicts, if passed into law, it will increase labor costs, hospitality-focused businesses will suffer, and companies will leave Colorado. Other Republicans noted Denver’s already struggling restaurant industry.
“Colorado is the only state in the union that has this second required election. It is unnecessary,” Danielson said. “This was put into place 81 years ago as a union-busting tactic. That is a one-sided benefit.”
Brighton Republican Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer noted her opposition to the bill by asking “why now?”, adding that in 2024 of second elections 80% were successful for unions.
While Democrats paint the bill as pro-worker, some conservatives describe it otherwise.
“This is not freedom. It is forced unionism,” Lundeen said. “Coloradans deserve fairness, not forced unionism. If unions are truly providing value, they shouldn’t need to force workers to pay dues.”
Before entering public service, Sterling Republican Sen. Byron Pelton worked as a licensed electrician and had opportunities to join a union, he said.
“In my trade, unions only represent 10% of the workforce, I’m the other 90%,” Pelton said. “A lot of us didn’t want to join because we didn’t see a benefit.”
In his hometown of Cheyenne Wells and around his Eastern Colorado district, Republican Sen. Rod Pelton notes the bill will mostly impact small businesses, like a John Deere dealership.
“It will cost that business more money to do business, which they have trouble passing on because they do business with farmers in the wholesale business,” he said.
In the rural Western Slope, Republican Sen. Marc Catlin says Coloradans are equally concerned.
“We don’t operate the way people in the urban corridor operate at all,” he said, describing agricultural operations. “We don’t operate like a factory. We don’t clock in, and we don’t clock out.“
His concern a union could decide when to harvest and when to plant was rebuffed by Rodriguez.
“There is no major downfall of people coming in and taking over,” Rodriguez said of the bill. “I don’t think it is bad for the economy,” he added, related to concerns Kirkmeyer expressed.
Counters Frizell: “This bill is not necessary… There are already federal mandates to ensure safe working conditions.”