America’s workers are incredibly disappointed with Governor Ritter’s veto of Colorado Senate Bill 180. With an unconscionable stroke of his pen he is preventing Colorado’s firefighters from having a voice at work through collective bargaining.

Every day Colorado’s firefighters risk their lives to protect the public, but today, Governor Ritter refused to stand up for them. This is not just bad policy; it is a flip-flop and a broken promise. While campaigning for Governor in 2006 Ritter met with the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters during their state meeting and promised to support statewide collective bargaining.

SB 180 would have helped local governmental agencies and public safety personnel come together to address and solve workplace challenges in a cooperative and productive manner. Many firefighters in districts already have unions. The bill does not create unionized fire districts, it simply allows for collective bargaining. Collective bargaining gives fire fighters a real voice on some of the issues that matter to them the most, such as working with employers to obtain the safest equipment possible so they are able to come home to their families after every shift.

Colorado’s workers are going to be taking a hard look at where they stand with Governor Ritter. Their hope has always been to forge a better working relationship with him, but the mounting number of vetoes for working family priorities is making it very difficult for them to enthusiastically follow his lead.

Contact:  Eddie Vale (202) 637-5018