In a significant move for local governance, aides to the Denver City Council are pushing to form a union under the Legislative Workers of Denver. These aides, who play a crucial role in the legislative process by crafting bills and meeting with constituents, are seeking to address inconsistencies in job titles, responsibilities, and working conditions across council offices.
Unionization Efforts
Conversations about unionization began about a year ago, as aides shared experiences and noted the variability in their roles. Some aides are salaried, while others are hourly, leading to high turnover rates. Since 2023, over 30 aides have left their positions, according to union organizers. The aides hope that unionization will provide a formal process for addressing grievances and shaping their futures.
Job security is a major concern for these aides. Their employment is often tied to the tenure of the council members they work for, leaving them vulnerable if their boss is voted out or termed out. This lack of protection contrasts with other public sector employees who enjoy more job security.
Support and Challenges
A significant majority of the roughly 40 eligible aides have committed to the union, and they have enough authorization cards to win an election. They are now asking the Denver City Council to voluntarily recognize the union. Council President Amanda Sandoval expressed support for the union but noted that other worker groups are also seeking negotiations. Councilmember Amanda Sawyer praised the aides for utilizing their new bargaining rights, although she acknowledged potential complexities due to the unique nature of council offices.
Denver voters approved a measure in 2024 granting labor rights to public employees, and while firefighters, police, and teachers already had the right to unionize, only Denver Public Library workers have announced unionization plans so far. The aides’ efforts mirror those of legislative aides at the Colorado statehouse, who successfully unionized in 2021, gaining benefits like health insurance and paid holidays.
Denver stands out in Colorado for allowing public employees to bargain collectively, a right not fully extended in most other cities. The aides hope their efforts will set a precedent for other municipalities to follow.
Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.
