February 16, 2009 10:22 PM UTC

HB09-1170 rights a serious wrong done to CO workers

• 1 Comments
• by: Blue Day Colorado

It’s shocking that we have only heard a small smattering of Colorado Democrats in support of House Bill 1170.  

I’m even surprised that we haven’t seen the House sponsor, Ed Casso, out on the Capitol steps with a large bell in hand to bring more attention to this bill.

You would think that this would be one of the Colorado Dem’s major priorities to reverse some of the damage that was done when the Republicans and Bill Owens had control of the legislature.  

House Bill 1170 will right the wrong done to nearly 25,000 Colorado workers that was SB99-155.

Yet we haven’t heard any Colorado Democrat( or even a moderate Republican for that matter) who sits on the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee champion the necessity of this bill.

In 1996, a large grocery chain retaliated against its employees when their union counterparts decided to strike against its main competitor.

Since these workers were legally and literally laid off and unemployed, they were eligible for unemployment insurance.  This safety-net saved hundreds of families while they negotiated for better wages and better health care.

So it was no surprise when when Republicans caved and decided to give companies the power to twist the screws on their employees during negotiations. Their 1999 bill was nothing but a direct way to single out and target union workers. Does it make sense that only union workers can be locked out and laid off yet not be eligible for unemployment benefits?

HB 1170 would change the law back to what it had been for over 30 years prior and would protect workers who are locked out of their job due to no fault of their own.

The Colorado House and Senate Democrats should be working overtime to repair the damage done when the now minority party had free reign on the working class of this state.

It’s not that controversial of a bill, its pragmatic and progressive, and simply changes the law back to what its original wording.

Who will be the first CO House Dem to speak out loudly about this bill? Is it possible that even a moderate republican will beat them to the punch? Rumor has it…..