Four amendments were dropped from the state-wide ballot just hours away from the deadline to do so after business and labor leaders agreed that the measures would likely drive jobs out of the state.
Amendment 53 would have made many corporate civil offenses, criminal offenses
Amendment 55 would have required employers to show cause for firing workers
Amendment 56 would have required state employers to provide health insurance
Amendment 57 would have allowed workers to file lawsuits against employers in workers-comp cases.
The measures will appear on the ballot, but the votes will not be counted.
While all four amendments may have been well-intentioned, they would also cause employers to look at every employee as a potential lawsuit and mistakes in judgment as potential criminal liabilities.
As a concession, the business leaders agreed to put up $3 million to help fund campaigns against amendments 47, 49 and 54, which are seen as unfriendly to unions. The National Education Association has pledged an additional $2 Million to fight the "Right to Work" amendments, but said that was not part of this deal.
The agreement, of course, does not guarantee that Colorado voters wont pass "Right to Work" anyway, but opponents are confident it will be defeated.
Involved in the negotiations were Colorado Concern, an alliance of business exectutive, Sage Hospitality, Hogan and Hartson, The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and others. Amendments 56 and 57 were backed by UFCW Local 7 and a group called Protect Colorado's Future backed 53 and 55.
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