Colorado Politics reporter Marissa Ventrelli has the story on House Bill 1005, a union-backed proposal headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for the second year in a row. The bill would repeal Colorado’s second-election requirement before a union “security agreement” can be created in a unionized workplace.
That matters because under such an agreement, all workers pay union dues or fees, whether or not they are union members. Colorado’s current law requires a second election with 75% support before that can happen. House Bill 1005 would wipe out that second vote. Polis vetoed a similar bill last year and has signaled he may do it again unless labor and business groups reach a compromise.
Look at me, agreeing with Governor Polis. Somebody check the forecast. It may be snowing in places we do not discuss in polite company. But on this one, he is right. Making it easier to take fees from workers who never joined the union is not worker empowerment. It is a payroll grab with a marching band.
The Bullet Point Brief
- House Bill 1005 does not decide whether workers can form a union. The article makes clear that union formation is governed by federal law, and a simple majority vote handles that part. This bill is about whether all workers can be forced to pay union fees after the union exists.
- Colorado’s Labor Peace Act currently requires a second election before a union security agreement kicks in. That second vote must hit 75% support. Apparently, asking for strong consent before dipping into every worker’s paycheck is now considered too much democracy.
- Governor Polis vetoed this idea last year because he was concerned about mandatory dues deductions and the lack of compromise between labor and business. Translation: maybe don’t treat paychecks like a community candy jar.
- Supporters say the bill would help workers organize, negotiate higher wages, and improve workplace safety. Fine. Make the case. Win support. But if the pitch requires lowering the bar before everyone pays, that tells me the pitch needs work.
- Opponents argue the bill would hurt Colorado’s business climate and hit small businesses especially hard. When families and employers are already getting squeezed by high costs, this bill stacks paperwork like hay bales in a windstorm, then acts shocked when the barn leans.
My Bottom Line
I support the right of workers to organize. I also support the right of workers to say no. Those two principles are not enemies. They are neighbors, and government should stop trying to bulldoze the fence between them.
A paycheck belongs to the person who earned it. If a union wants every worker in a shop to pay dues or fees, then it ought to clear a high bar. That is not anti-worker. That is pro-consent. In plain English, consent means people get a real say before money comes out of their pocket.
This bill is being sold as worker empowerment, but the fine print says something else. Workers can already vote to unionize. House Bill 1005 is about making it easier to impose fees on everyone afterward, including workers who did not join. That is a mighty convenient definition of freedom. It is like saying dinner is optional, but the check is mandatory.
So yes, I agree with Governor Polis on this one. Mark it down. Clip it out. Put it on the refrigerator. If he vetoes this union gift package again, he will be doing the right thing for Colorado workers, small businesses, and anyone who still believes a person’s paycheck should not be treated like public property.
Colorado does not need more forced fees, more pressure on small businesses, or more Denver-knows-best tinkering with paychecks. We need jobs, choice, and accountability. We’ll measure this in months and dollars, not slogans.
Source: Colorado Politics
