Guv puts foot down on statewide collective-bargaining bill

Feb 20, 2013

Leslie Jorgensen / The Colorado Observer

Democrats are scrambling to keep Senate Bill 25—which would allow firefighters across the state to collectively bargain—from being vetoed. Gov. John Hickenlooper indicated Tuesday that is his intention at this point.

Hickenlooper expressed concern that the bill, now in the state House, would usurp the right of local governments to ask voters to approve or disapprove of public employee unions.

Democrat leaders Senate President John Morse of Colorado Springs and House Speaker Mark Ferrandino of Denverand SB 25 sponsors state Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton, and state Rep. Angela Williams, D-Denver, received the governor’s letter of concerns Tuesday.

“We do not believe it is a matter of state interest to require mandatory bargaining between a locality and its firefighters,” said Hickenlooper.

“It is a matter of state interest, however, that the political rights of firefighters to engage in meaningful dialogue with their local elected representatives, including petitioning for local elections, be fully protected,” explained the governor. …read full story by The Colorado Observer

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Tags: Boulder Mayor Matthew Appelbaum, collective bargaining, Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach, firefighters, Gov. John Hickenlooper, House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, Rep. Angela Williams, Sen. Lois Tochtrop, Senate President John Morse