GOP drafts bill to reverse union order

Dems counter that Ritter initiative is moderate measure

Chris Barge And April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order recognizing unions in state government would be reversed under a bill drafted during the weekend by four Republican lawmakers.

But Ritter and other Democrats countered Monday that the governor's order is far too moderate to warrant such GOP outcry.

Republican Sens. Shawn Mitchell and Josh Penry, along with Reps. Cory Gardner and Rob Witwer, plan to announce the bill at a 10 a.m. news conference today.

"If our new governor thought that this fight was over when the ink dried on his executive order, he was sadly mistaken," said Penry, R-Fruita. "Bill Ritter won't get away with this one."

The development comes on the heels of a letter that House Minority Leader Mike May sent Ritter on Monday.

The letter asks that Ritter put his order on hold for 120 days so lawmakers can have time to study its effects on state government.

Ritter said Monday he is confident that his order is in line with the values of Colorado voters, including the business community.

"I know there are certain individuals that are using it to be hysterical, but that is not my experience with the vast majority of people in the business community," Ritter said.

Political observers say Republicans are smart to jump on what the GOP perceives as the governor's first major political mistake.

"I think, politically, Republicans are on pretty strong ground here, because Colorado has not traditionally been a strong union state, and unionizing employees to any extent was not the reason Colorado elected Bill Ritter," said Colorado College political science professor Bob Loevy. "I think it is going to cost him. I think it has cost him already."

State GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams said the Republican bill will force next year's Democratic candidates in swing districts to reveal their positions on union issues.

Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said that Democratic Senate and House members in vulnerable seats likely won't suffer from Ritter's action or any attempts to improve working conditions for state employees.

"I think our vulnerable members would be pleased to stand up for working men and women," he said.

Colorado State University political science professor John Straayer said that while Ritter may sustain a "short-term wound," the public eventually will realize that the order doesn't do much for unions.

"I just think it's way too much sound and fury, way too much noise about something that does not seem to be that monumental," he said.

Ritter announced his executive order late Friday afternoon with no fanfare before heading out of town. The order allows state employees to vote on a union to represent them exclusively in negotiations with management on issues such as improving workplace conditions and suggesting efficiencies.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said he and others were briefed by the administration and were relieved by what wasn't in the order. Workers can't strike and Ritter and the legislature, not a third party, still have control over most benefits and wages.

Sen. Mo Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said that the general public is less concerned about the Democrats' relationship with labor and state employees than other high-priority issues such as health care and higher education. "I haven't gotten one phone call or one-email from the general public (about unions)," Keller said.

bargec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5059. Staff writer Lynn Bartels contributed to this report