It’s not so easy to organize unions in Colorado, but the Teamsters got something right.
Out of the 17 union elections that have been held since 2003, 12 have been successful. And the majority of those have been initiated by and won by three local unions, according to data from the Department of Labor.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters conducted four elections during the time period, which was more than any other union had participated in. They won three, but lost to a business called Ampco Systems in 2004. Other big winners include Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), which both won three elections and gained a total 191 eligible union members.
The International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers (IBEW) wasn’t so lucky. In two back-to-back elections in 2005, the IBEW lost to the Asplundh Expert Tree Company.
But not all labor organizing comes down to an election.
Workers with the UNITE HERE union were recognized by Denver’s Hyatt Regency hotel in October after a majority signed union cards. A city ordinance mandated that Hyatt management be neutral to employee organizing efforts, although such situations are rare.
