Ritter gives it right back to GOP critics of union stance

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, August 24, 2007

Gov. Bill Ritter's office put Republican critics on notice Thursday that a new, more labor- friendly day has dawned in Colorado state government.

The message of no apologies came in response to two weeks of complaints by Republican state legislators that Ritter's administration was turning the state into a paradise of unprecedented access for unions.

"Gov. Ritter is the new chief administrative officer of state government and he believes that moving in this new direction will be good for the public and will be good for state government employees," said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.

State Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R- Broomfield, called the justification for the administration's recent pro-union concessions "ridiculous."

"It's great the governor wants to respect and reach out to employees, but can't he do it without putting labor bosses in charge of the effort?" he said.

Thursday, the Rocky Mountain News learned that the new directors of two state departments have forged partnerships with the state's largest union.

Rico Munn, executive director of the Department of Regulatory Affairs, has had the Colorado Association of Public Employees conduct 22 employee feedback sessions for 220 employees, focused on improving communications within the department.

Many of those employees have signed up to get more information about the union as a result, according to the union's Web site.

In a similar spirit, Russ George, the new executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation, has formed a new CAPE-CDOT Partnership for Quality and Innovation.

George said the partnership emerged after union members approached him in January, asking him to deal with snowplow operators who had not been paid overtime for their work during the winter's heavy blizzards.

"I have greatly appreciated this guidance and counsel from these CAPE members," George wrote in a June 21 letter to all CDOT employees.

The new pro-union approach is a vast departure from how state government was run under Gov. Bill Owens, who banned paycheck deductions for union dues.

"We've just had eight years where state employees' opinions were not just discouraged, they were ignored," said Miller Hudson, executive director of CAPE. "I'm impressed by this administration, which is asking the people on the front line what changes need to be made."

bargec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5059