Voters in Oregon and Colorado rejected anti-worker and anti-union initiatives on Nov. 4.
The headline initiative among the group was a Right Wing attempt to turn Colorado into a right-to-work (for less) state. Even Coors Breweries, once anti-union but now owned by Canadian--and unionized--Molson opposed right to work.
The proposed constitutional amendment lost by 242,500 votes, a 56%-44% margin. An attempt to outlaw affirmative action in government contracts lost by 34,000, 51%-49%. And a “paycheck protection” constitutional amendment failed as well.
Seven other attempts in Oregon were also rejected by voters in Oregon. One attacked union contracts by outlawing seniority for public school teachers and making all raises “merit raises” based on subjective--and undefined--“quality” standards that principals could set. It was trampled by a 61%-39% margin.
The Oregon groups who promoted the measures held an attempt to ban unions from collecting dues as their top priority. Their initiative was so confusing and badly worded that it would have outlawed such things as giving to charity. That drew a broad coalition of groups, led by labor, to campaign against it. It lost by a 51%-49% margin and 19,000 votes.