Holly Deal From: Sent: To: Subject:
[email protected] Thursday, May 05, 2011 11:57 AM Holly Deal Fwd: Last minute bill to eliminate bargaining introduced in State Assembly
Rick Weisman Director of Labor Services National Fraternal Order of Police 222. E. Town St. Columbus, Ohio 43215 Toll Free: 800 451 2711 Ohio Office: 614 224 1856 Cell: 614 404 2676
[email protected] From:
[email protected] To:
[email protected] Sent: 5/5/2011 12:42:02 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Subj: Last minute bill to eliminate bargaining introduced in State Assembly
To All,
With five working days left in this year’s Colorado General Assembly another bill to prohibit Collective Bargaining in Colorado by public employees was introduced into the House today. This bill (HB-1320) is sponsored by Representative Janak Joshi, R-Colorado Springs and Senate Assistant Minority Leader Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs. The bill has been assigned to the House State, Veterans, & Military Affairs committee where it is expected to pass. That being the case the bill should see a full House floor vote this Friday or next Monday, and it is expected to clear the House on a party line vote. If this bill clears the House then we expect to be able to get it killed in the Senate.
This most recent piece of legislation comes on the heels of two other similar bills that were introduced earlier this session. SB-38 introduced earlier this year by Senator Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield would have removed the current Executive Order allowing “Meet & Confer Bargaining” for Colorado’s State Employees. SB-112 also introduced earlier this year by Senator Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs would have prohibited Collective Bargaining by all public employees at the State, County, and Municipal levels of government state-wide. Both of these anti-bargaining bills were killed in the Senate committee that they were assigned.
This most recent anti-bargaining bill directed at Colorado’s public employees should be received as a loud and clear wake up call for all public employees in Colorado!!!!!!! This year’s legislative efforts are shots across the bow that reflect a bigger national agenda to strip or deny public employees of their 1
rights and weaken their voice and eventually their benefits. It is time to get organized and get serious about who we help put in public office. If we do not join together in this fight, then we guarantee you that there will be a good chance bills such as these could easily become reality in this state as soon as mid-2012. The FOP in Colorado is in the process of forming a coalition with AFSCME, ATU, Teachers, and Fire-fighters. We will be combining forces and resources for the fight ahead.
If any law enforcement officer thinks that they are not the subject of these attacks; then they are only fooling themselves. If any law enforcement officer believes that losing this right will not result in a reduction in their pay and benefits; then we have swampland in Florida to sell you. The possibility of bills such as these eventually becoming laws in Colorado is REAL. If those law enforcement officers that have bargaining rights lose those rights, and if those who hope to ever gain that right are denied the opportunity; then we can accurately predict that all wages and benefits that officers have in Colorado will suffer over time. For those that choose sit on the sideline with their head buried in the sand or not believing this will eventually affect them; then all we have to say is accept your fate without comment because you only have yourself to blame.
For the rest of us we plan to fight and become as politically involved as necessary to make certain that those whose agenda includes attacking your profession and your financial well being are un-elected and replaced by those who support us. The 2012 election starts now, and we will work against any politician, regardless of political party, that is not a friend of ours. We will move past our personal political affiliations of the past and vote for those who would not deny us our voice and future.
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