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Chamber fights initiativeOpposes anti-union measurePeter Marcus, DDN Staff WriterFriday, June 13, 2008 | |
After leading an effort to fight the “onslaught of ballot measures” that are being proposed by Colorado’s union advocates, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce said it will oppose an initiative that would make Colorado a so-called “right-to-work” state.
While Amendment 47 is considered by some to be an anti-union measure, the Chamber said that it cannot support the initiative because right-to-work states “do not perform significantly better in wages, economic development or business growth than Colorado.”
“Data compiled by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation clearly shows that Colorado’s competitiveness and job growth is equal or better than right-to-work states,” said Chamber President Joe Blake in a special e-mail message.
The Chamber organized the Coloradans for Responsible Reform campaign, which was originally formed to fight 12 union measures. On Tuesday, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 removed two ballot proposals, which Coloradans for Responsible Reform labeled as “economy killers.”
Initiative 95 would have increased commercial property taxes in Colorado by 5 percent, and Initiative 96 would have required businesses with more than 10 employees to provide every employee with a cost of living pay increase annually.
“I am delighted that the UFCW Local 7 has taken the first step away from mutually assured destruction and toward a return to the strong relationship that business and organized labor have enjoyed for decades,” said Blake.
No protection?
But yesterday, Blake said Amendment 47 would not protect Colorado businesses from union laws.
“Support of such action by the electorate this fall may, as a result of the passage of the labor countermeasures, bring the removal of our at-will employment system and mandate that business provide health care for employees and their dependents,” he said. “Support of ‘right-to-work’ is not worth the risk to the health of our economy, our business climate and the competitiveness of Colorado.”
A Better Colorado, the group spearheading Amendment 47, was not surprised to learn of the Chamber’s opposition.
Caving in?
“It’s unfortunate that the Denver Chamber caved in to union threats and put politics over principle,” said Kelley Harp, spokesman for A Better Colorado.
The Colorado Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the Western Colorado Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Grand Junction Area Realtor Association, the Western Colorado Contractors Association, The Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs and the Brush Chamber of Commerce, have all endorsed Amendment 47.
The measure would make it illegal to force non-union workers to pay union dues against their will. Critics argue that federal law already prohibits such compulsory union fees.
But the Chamber Board of Directors sent a clear message that Amendment 47 is not the right measure for Colorado’s business community.
“Ideology must not trump the economic health of the state, the businesses that contribute and provide jobs, and the residents who call Colorado home,” the board said.
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