On Election Day, Colorado voters tossed out Amendment 47, a contentious “right-to-work” measure that sought to restrict the way unions organized in the state. It has been more than three decades since such a proposal was actually defeated on the ballot.

And joyous celebrations were had by all! Okay, me and a bunch of workers in Colorado, and maybe readers on this blog. And yeah, I love you guys!!

Quote provided by the Colorado Independent.

Said Littleton firefighter Joel Heinemann, a campaign supporter who claimed Amendment 47 would have weakened the bargaining rights for public servants in the state, “Today the voters showed me and my fellow firefighters that they support us.”

Seriously, this is a very sweet victory!

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I traveled over to Unbossed and noticed that last week, State Troopers voted to organize and be represented by a union. First ones to do so since the November Governor’s Executive Order.

From Unbossed

State troopers in Colorado have voted to form a union, according to Colorado WINS, a labor union coalition seeking to organize approximately 32,000 state workers.

The state trooper employee organization, known as the Association of Colorado State Patrol Professionals, is the first of its kind to form as a representative group for state employees since Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter issued an executive order in November supporting state worker efforts to unionize and form employee partnerships.
More than 75 percent of state troopers participating in a mail-in election voted in favor of the union, according to Colorado WINS.

Colorado WINS, made up of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Colorado Association of Public Employees/Service Employees International Union; and the American Federation of Teachers, claims that an overwhelming majority of the state's 750 state patrol officers participated in the election, but the group did not give specific numbers.

Head over to Colorado Confidential for more on the story. Make sure you read the comments, they’re really educational, especially about the no-strike clause.

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