Denver Chamber opposes Right to Work Initiative

Face The State Staff Report

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has voted to oppose Amendment 47, a proposed right-to-work constitutional amendment set to appear on this November's ballot that would ask voters to protect workers from being forced to join unions or pay union dues.

According to The Denver Post, chamber president Joe Blake sent a message to members today, concluding the following: "Our research indicates that, over the long run, states with 'right to work' statutes do not perform significantly better in wages, economic development or business growth than Colorado."

The National Right To Work Committee disputes Blake's findings. Committee President Mark Mix recently wrote, "from job creation to the number of employees covered by health insurance, Right to Work states have consistently exceeded their non-Right to Work counterparts in almost every metric of economic performance."

Chamber officials maintain that their lack of support is indicative of a larger effort to avoid a battle between labor and business initiatives vying to make it onto the ballot. Currently, labor leaders are still attempting to garner enough signatures for two pro-union initiatives. "The chamber has been working very hard to get all the organized labor ballot measures, including Right to Work, removed from the ballot," said Director of Communications Kate Horle. She added that board members don't support anything that could potentially disturb the Labor Peace Act, which which requires a special worker vote to establish an all-union shop.

The chamber's decision contradicts one made by the statewide chamber, known as the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry,to endorse the initiative. The Denver chamber's action follows a string of decisions that have outraged small business owners. As Face The State has previously reported, the Denver Chamber has come under increasing fire for supporting positions that former members say hurt small businesses by increasing the role of government in the free market, including higher taxes.

Kelley Harp, a spokesman for the Amendment 47 campaign, questioned the logic behind the chamber's decision. "The Chamber itself said that Right to Work is a 'basic business principle.' It's unfortunate that the Denver Chamber caved in to the union threats and decided to put politics ahead of principle. That's not leadership. That's capitulation."

Harp also noted that his campaign is "proud to have earned many endorsements from business groups, chambers and individuals across the state. " In addition to CACI, notable endorsements have come from the Colorado Association of Home Builders, and Amy Sherman, President and CEO of the Jefferson County West Chamber of Commerce.

Also of interest today, the Denver Chamber voiced its opposition to Initiative 113, Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter's Severance Tax increase. The decision followed news that Ritter lacks the public support needed to pass the tax increase.