Latest news with #JenniferBacon
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado House gives initial OK to bill that would ease union formation despite veto threat
Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat, speaks about a labor rights bill at the Colorado Capitol on Nov. 19, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline) The Colorado House of Representatives on Monday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would eliminate a second election requirement, unique to the state, for union formation, four months after the legislation was introduced and two days before the end of the lawmaking term. After months of negotiation between labor and business groups, there was no deal reached among groups on opposing sides of debate around the measure, and the bill is the same as it was in January. That will set up a likely clash with Gov. Jared Polis, who has signaled opposition to the measure. Senate Bill 25-5 was a priority for progressive Democrats this year. It would alter union law in the state by removing a second election requirement to negotiate union security, the term used when everyone in a workplace is required to pay into the representation a union provides, regardless of membership. In Colorado, a 50% vote is necessary to form a union, as is federal law, but a second election requiring a 75% vote is required to negotiate union security in a contract. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Unions negotiate compensation, benefits and workplace conditions for all workers, not just members. That second election does not automatically require union security but allows it to be on the negotiating table. And workers could still decline to ratify a contract that includes union security. 'There is nothing in this bill that is requiring anything other than to be allowed to collectively bargain. And that is a decision and a choice that employees can make, and then that is a decision and a choice that everyone in that workplace can bargain over as well,' said bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat. Bill supporters say the second election creates a massive barrier for strong union formation in the state and leads to Colorado's low unionization rate. 'Something is happening between that first and second election. We heard stories of what's happening between those elections. Workers are being dissuaded. Workers are being tantamount to intimidation,' Bacon said. 'That second vote has demonstrated that it is a tangible barrier to being able to collectively bargain.' The bill is also sponsored by Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat. It was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, a Denver Democrat, and Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat, in the Senate. 'This bill is about empowering Coloradans to stand up for better workplaces and to stand up for higher wages in an economy that is increasingly rigged against them,' Mabrey said, framing the vote in the context of growing wealth inequality and elimination of some workers rights and consumer protection efforts and the federal level. The bill was previewed last year and introduced on the first day of the legislative session. From the start, Polis expressed wariness of signing a bill that didn't reflect a compromise between labor and business. Representing workers who are ready for change, we came to the table in good faith but business walked away from a meaningful compromise that would have made our system fairer and safer for working people. – Dennis Dougherty, executive director of Colorado AFL-CIO The Senate passed an unamended version of the bill in February. It languished on the House calendar for about a month after moving through its committees, as sponsors and stakeholders continued to discuss potential compromises. That deal never came. 'Representing workers who are ready for change, we came to the table in good faith but business walked away from a meaningful compromise that would have made our system fairer and safer for working people,' Dennis Dougherty, the executive director of Colorado AFL-CIO, said in a statement over the weekend. Loren Furman, the president of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, rejected that characterization. Business groups including Colorado Concern and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce were also involved in talks. She said the chamber offered three ideas that labor interests didn't agree to, and that chamber's members couldn't agree to the 'creative proposals' that the governor's office came up with, one of which she said would have bifurcated small and large businesses in the matter. 'At the end of the day, it's disappointing. I take this process very seriously and we have always tried to find a common ground or consensus on issues down here at the Capitol. This is a policy that's been in place for 83 years, and yet we still came to the table and offered significant compromises that would've helped labor unions be more successful,' she said. 'At the end of the day, it was really important to us that all employees have a say over whether or not these fees get withdrawn from their paychecks.' House sponsors moved forward on the bill despite the absence of a negotiation. The bill needs a final, recorded vote in the House before it heads to the governor to either sign or veto. Bacon urged Polis, as the 'figurehead of the Democratic Party' in the state, to sign the bill. Last year, Polis vetoed two labor-related bills, which drew frustration and sharp criticism from unions and Democrats. Republicans are uniformly against the bill. They generally agree with the Labor Peace Act, which established the second election, and view the 80-year-old law as a functioning compromise between labor and business. 'This (bill) is about forcing workers to pay union dues against their will, even if they want nothing to do with the union. It's mandatory, compulsory fees,' said Rep. Chris Richardson, an Elizabeth Republican. 'It's about compelling association and compelling speech, and that's wrong.' On Monday, Democratic Rep. Bob Marshall of Highlands Ranch tried to run an amendment to get rid of the second election and allow union security negotiations if at least 60% of workers voted for the union formation. A similar amendment was determined to not fit under the title of the bill during committee, and his amendment on Monday was also ruled out of the scope of the bill's title. The legislative session ends Wednesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Controversial new legislation could soon require warning labels at gas stations: 'The purpose of this bill is to equip our neighbors with knowledge'
In an attempt to better educate consumers about the impacts of the Earth's overheating, Colorado may soon require gas stations to post a sticker warning drivers that their fuel use may increase planet-warming gas emissions. HB 25-1277 narrowly passed the state House on April 2. It is sponsored by state Reps. Jennifer Bacon and Junie Joseph as well as state Sen. Lisa Cutter. If the measure passes the state Senate, the law will go into effect in July 2026. The proposed sticker would read: "WARNING: Use of this product releases air pollutants and greenhouse gases, known by the state of Colorado to be linked to significant health impacts and global heating, respectively, pursuant to section 25-5-1603, C.R.S. Tampering with this label is a violation of section 18-4-510, C.R.S." Gas stations that failed to post the sticker would be in violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act for deceptive trade practices. Retailers would have 45 days to fix the problem before any enforcement action would be brought against them. According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, "Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 28 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions." They trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the rise in global temperature. Small measures such as the Increasing Transparency Impact of Fuel Products bill can better inform drivers of the impact dirty fuels such as gasoline can have. Bacon argues that the measure will offer consumers vital information to help them understand the impacts of their actions on the warming planet. "The purpose of this bill is to equip our neighbors with knowledge so they make decisions accordingly," Bacon said, per The Denver Post. However, not every Colorado politician feels the same way. State Rep. Ron Weinberg considers the move pedantic and redundant. "Putting a sticker on gas pump [and] telling [Coloradans] what they already know does nothing but insult their intelligence and burden the businesses that keep the state moving," Weinberg said, per The Denver Post. Do you think gas stoves should be banned nationwide? No way Let each state decide I'm not sure Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police officer whistleblowers would get more protection under Colorado bill
State Rep. Jennifer Bacon speaks at an event hosted by Colorado's Black Democratic Legislative Caucus to provide a 2023 legislative preview at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance in Denver, Jan. 25, 2023. (Kevin Mohatt for Colorado Newsline) A bill that would give Colorado police officers who report misconduct in their office more protection from retaliation passed a House committee on Tuesday, nearly a year after a similar bill failed in the face of law enforcement opposition. House Bill 25-1031 would allow officers to sue their employers if they face retaliation for reporting a danger to public safety or an alleged crime by another officer. It would clarify that there is whistleblower protection for local law enforcement. 'If someone wants to come forward because there has been a violation of law or policy, they should be protected in doing so,' said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat sponsoring the bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee on a 9-2 vote. Republican Reps. Ryan Armagost of Berthoud and Jarvis Caldwell of Colorado Springs voted against it. Bacon also ran last year's bill alongside former Rep. Leslie Herod, another Denver Democrat. That bill would have required investigations of reported misconduct and criminalized a failure to report, and was inspired by a former Edgewater police officer who told lawmakers she was retaliated against after she reported a supervising sergeant for sexual assault. That bill, which was introduced and debated in the final weeks of the legislative session, faced heated opposition from Republicans and law enforcement groups, and failed on its final vote in the House. Bacon and Rep. Chad Clifford, a Littleton Democrat also on the current bill, leaned on working groups of officers, legislators, legal experts and whistleblowers during the interim to come up with this year's version of legislation. It has the support of the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police. I'll have a client call. They're aware of something that has happened, but they don't know what to do. They are concerned of the ramifications they will feel if they speak out. Every one of those officers feel that they should speak out. – Sean McCauley, general counsel for the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police Some officers have 'very deep, robust civil servant protections from a place like Denver, where they have an entire department to deal with this stuff,' Clifford said. 'Not everybody has a department, so we were able to bring the experts together who understand the right way to do it.' 'Everything that's in the four corners of this bill is related to a police officer having the protections that they need to do their job effectively and not get jammed up in their careers,' he said. The bill expands the definition of retaliation from discharge and demotion to also include actions like suspension, creation of a hostile work environment, work hour reduction, and issuing a rating that could adversely affect an officer's future employment. Sean McCauley, general counsel for the CFOP, said the issue of whether to report misconduct comes up 'monthly.' 'I'll have a client call. They're aware of something that has happened, but they don't know what to do. They are concerned of the ramifications they will feel if they speak out. Every one of those officers feel that they should speak out,' he said. 'But if you really value your career and you want to move through the organization, you have to decide if this is something that you want to speak out about.' Under the bill, whistleblowing officers could be awarded damages for financial loss, emotional pain, mental anguish and inconvenience. They could also be reinstated to their agency with back pay. Caldwell said he might be able to support the bill if there's a cap set on those potential lawsuit payouts. The bill would set a statute of limitations for whistleblower cases of two years. It would also create an affirmative defense for law enforcement agencies if their actions are determined to not have been retaliatory. 'Affirmative defense would say 'We did cut your hours, but for a different reason,'' Bacon said. 'We see that in other places in employment law, especially in government.' The bill now heads to the full House chamber for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill that would ease union formation earns final Colorado Senate approval
Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat, speaks about a labor rights bill at the Colorado Capitol on Nov. 19, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline) The Colorado Senate gave final approval to a bill Tuesday that would make it easier to form unions in Colorado, following hours of arguments in opposition from Republicans last week. Senate Bill 25-5 would eliminate a second election mandated by Colorado's Labor Peace Act to form a union, a requirement that is unique to Colorado. Federal law allows employees to unionize with a simple majority vote, but they must participate in a second vote with 75% approval to determine if workers who don't support the union have to pay representation fees. The Colorado Labor Peace Act passed in the 1940s, and bill sponsors referred to the provision requiring a second vote as 'a relic of the past.' 'Colorado has made significant progress since then, but returning to the policies of 1943 or allowing their legacy to persist would undermine decades of progress and hinder the state's future,' Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, a Denver Democrat who sponsored the bill, said on the Senate floor last Thursday, when the chamber first took up the bill for debate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Senators voted 22-12 along party lines to approve the bill, with Republicans in opposition. Several Republican senators spoke against the bill again ahead of its final approval in the chamber Tuesday. Republicans argued the bill violates a worker's autonomy by making them pay union fees and dues even if they don't support or want to be part of the union. They also said it will make starting a business in Colorado less achievable. Several Republican senators offered amendments that all failed on the floor last week. 'The relaxation of labor organizing standards will certainly deter the vitality of existing Colorado businesses, while also deterring future economic investment within the state,' Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Brighton Republican, said Tuesday ahead of the Senate's final vote. Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Monument Republican, said Thursday the second vote requirement puts Colorado in a 'sweet spot' between right to work states and union states. He described the bill as 'a wage theft bill.' 'At the end of the day, this bill seeks to get rid of an election that requires a 75% threshold to impose extraction of a portion of an individual's paycheck, who does not want to participate in the organization that would represent them,' Lundeen said. 'But they pay for it anyway.' Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Jefferson County Democrat who also sponsored the bill, said the second vote 'has been referenced as this great, grand compromise' but is working for employers and corporations, not workers. 'The working people of the state of Colorado, as well as the folks all across this country, are demanding that we do better for them, do right for the workers,' Danielson said. 'We all know that when workers are protected by a union contract, it results in better pay, better benefits and safety on the job. We need to do what we can do to make joining a union easier when the barrier from a worker to this union protection is the heavy hand of the government standing in their way.' Danielson added that a requirement for a second election leaves workers subject to extended 'harassment and intimidation, retaliation, surveillance and possible firings' from the employer. She said the second vote only exists to prevent workers from unionizing. The Senate Health Business, Labor and Technology Committee approved the bill along party lines in January. A November study from the Colorado Fiscal Institute found that of the 553 unions that initiated a second election between 1977 and 2024, 68% were successful. In 126 of the cases, the second election had a majority affirmative vote but fell short of the three-fourths requirement. The bill is staunchly opposed by business groups such as the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Concern, which argue that the bill would erode Colorado's economic competitiveness and make it less attractive for businesses to remain in the state. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has suggested that he will not support the legislation unless a compromise arises. The Colorado House of Representatives, which also has a strong Democratic majority, will need to approve the bill next. Five former U.S. Secretaries of Labor wrote to Polis in support of the bill last week, saying the requirement for a second vote creates unnecessary barriers to unionization. 'In states without such restrictive laws, after a single successful election, details such as union dues and representation fees are then negotiated and approved in good faith by both workers and employers — a model of fairness that Colorado should embrace,' the letter says. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
