Democratic lawmakers worked to push through a collective bargaining bill in the final days of Colorado’s legislative session, which adjourns Wednesday.

The House gave final passage to Senate Bill 25-005, titled the “Worker Protection Collective Bargaining” bill, with a vote on Tuesday, despite signals it did not have Governor Jared Polis’s support.

Image

In Colorado, unionization requires a second vote with 75 percent approval needed to negotiate a union security agreement clause during collective bargaining. The legislation would eliminate the requirement for a second union election.

The legislation was opposed by Republican lawmakers.

“We’re talking about compelling people to pay money, and there should be a very high bar when you’re compelling people to associate, when you’re compelling people to participate in your speech,” said Representative Chris Richardson, R-Elizabeth, on Tuesday before the final vote in the House.

Democrats supporting the measure argue the state’s current process creates too high a threshold for workers to unionize.

“This bill simply says you do not need two elections to not only create a union but even move into an all-security act if that’s something that folks want to do,” said bill sponsor Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver.

Polis opposes efforts to get rid of the union security vote, The Colorado Sun reported.