Union coalition raises $152,000 (in 2 weeks), right-to-work group shut out

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9959158

By Andy Vuong
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 07/22/2008 10:30:17 AM MDT

Protect Colorado's Future, the union-backed coalition, raised about $152,000 during the latest reporting period from July 3 to July 16.

The group, which is fighting the right-to-work ballot initiative and collecting signatures for a pair of competing measures, has raised about $2.4 million this year.

The AFSCME union gave $127,000 and the Colorado Professional Firefighters contributed $25,000 during the latest period.

Protect Colorado's Future is collecting signatures for measures that seek to hold executives criminally liable for corporate wrongdoing and require companies to provide reasons for firing workers.

A Better Colorado, the business-backed group pushing the right-to-work measure, didn't report any new contributions during the latest period. It has raised about $556,000 since January. Colorado Citizens for Change, a nonprofit funded by Golden-based CoorsTek, has contributed $395,000 to the group.

The right-to-work measure would ask voters to amend the state constitution to say that union membership and the payment of dues or fees could not be mandated as a condition of employment. The measure has been approved for the November ballot and will appear as Amendment 47.

Protect Colorado's Future said it will probably submit signatures for one of its measures this week, with signatures for the other initiative next week. The group has until Aug. 4 to file 76,000 certified signatures with the secretary of state's office.

Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209 or [e-mail]