Worker Power Update

CWA Activists in Colorado Secure Major Legislative Win for Public Workers

In a huge win for workers, the Colorado Public Employees’ Workplace Protection Act (SB23-111) has officially been signed into law. Thanks to the efforts of CWA activists, who joined forces with other pro-worker activists and lawmakers to secure the passage of this historic bill, public workers in Colorado will be granted important workplace protections that most private sector employees have had for almost 90 years. The National Labor Relations Act, passed in 1935, and the Colorado Labor Peace Act, passed in 1943, granted organizing rights to private sector employees but excluded those necessary protections from workers in the public sector. SB23-111 changes that and extends those protections to nearly 250,000 public sector employees across the state of Colorado.

This win is the result of the continued advocacy and activism of members of CWA Local 7799 in Colorado, which represents public defenders, healthcare workers, librarians, and higher education workers in the state. The legislation will allow the members to continue to grow their union and the public good without fear of retaliation.