Colorado was once the scene of guerilla warfare over labor organizing, culminating in the 1914 attack on striking coal workers and their families in Ludlow.
This year's fight at the State Capitol isn't as bloody, but it could have far-reaching consequences for Colorado workers.
After decades of opposition, labor groups believe the time is finally ripe to repeal the 1943 Labor Peace Act. The law makes it harder for workplaces to fully unionize by requiring two votes. The second, which allows unions to collect "fees" to represent workers, has to pass with 75% support. Supporters say it strikes a balance between pro-union and right-to-work labor laws.
The last attempt to repeal the Labor Peace Act died in 2007 in a surprise veto from a Democratic governor, and current Gov. Jared Polis has signaled his skepticism toward repeal. But the Colorado General Assembly has shifted in favor of labor, and unions have been successful in recent years in organizing workplaces, despite the hurdles.
Hosts Bente Birkeland from CPR News and Jesse Paul of the Colorado Sun dive into the Labor Peace Act: how it works, where it came from and why labor thinks this is the year to have this fight. They also discuss whether the voters themselves might ultimately be called on to decide the fate of the law.
Purplish is produced by CPR News and the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This episode of Purplish was edited by Megan Verlee and produced by Shane Rumsey. Our theme music was composed by Brad Turner.