As the Grand Junction Sentinel reports today, the day of reckoning draws closer for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to decide on the bad policy that is SB 180 -- a costly favor to Big Labor. The Sentinel today also editorializes strongly against SB 180 -- using many of the same arguments I've brought forward before, and even one I haven't really emphasized:Strikes would be prohibited under the legislation, but there are no sanctions listed in the bill for those who violate the provision. Now it would seem that Bill Ritter has an opportunity to start mending fences with folks on the Western Slope, where his popularity is low and heckling is a common greeting for him, by vetoing SB 180. He could listen to Grand Junction mayor Bruce Hill, … [Read more...]
“Have you been waiting to give up your money…?”
From my friends at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation ... Wouldn't you like to see that during the break of your favorite television program? … [Read more...]
Colorado State Workers Get Union Ballots, Rocky Reprints Ritter’s Error
Yesterday, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News, ballots were mailed out to 21,000 Colorado state employees for the purposes of choosing exclusive representation. Workers vote yes to be represented by the Colorado WINS labor coalition or vote no to keep the status quo and the right to represent themselves if they so choose. Unfortunately, the Rocky ended their story with a misleading statement:[Gov. Bill] Ritter has emphasized that his order bans strikes, prohibits binding arbitration and bars unions from charging dues to nonmembers. It makes you wonder whether Bill Ritter has read his own executive order. The order does not bar unions from charging dues to nonmembers - it leaves the door open to coercive fees being charged on … [Read more...]
School Bargaining Sunshine Would Be Good, and Not Just for Colorado Springs
One of the ongoing themes here is government transparency, and this week seems to be bringing the onslaught. I've written about the State Board not wanting to hold a public vote on the litigation surrounding the governor's property tax hike, and the Democratic legislative caucus holding an allegedly illegal private meeting. But then there's a story I missed from a few days ago. The editors of the Colorado Springs Gazette highlighted an effort to open up negotiations in one of the state's largest school districts:Bob Null has a reasonable request that would serve the interests of all who pay taxes to Colorado Springs District 11 Schools. As a member of the D-11 school board, Null wants to sit in on the upcoming union negotiations between … [Read more...]