A bill for an ordinance concerning implementation of the collective bargaining rights for certain city employees and in connection therewith amending chapter 18 of the Code An ordinance implementing and clarifying collective bargaining rights for certain city employees. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 10-21-2025.

This ordinance, Council Bill No. 25-1556, amends Chapter 18 and adds a new Article XXI to the Denver Revised Municipal Code, implementing voter-approved collective bargaining rights for certain city employees. It establishes a comprehensive framework for labor relations, excluding police, fire, sheriff, Denver Health, supervisory, and confidential employees, but including career service employees and those of the City Council, Library Commission, Civil Service Commission, and Board of Adjustment. Employees of the Board of Water Commissioners are explicitly excluded.

Key Provisions include:

• Dispute Resolution Panels: Creates permanent panels of at least three arbitrators and mediators, appointed by City Council for six-year terms, to resolve disputes and impasses. Arbitration and mediation fees are generally shared equally between the City and the employee organization.
• Union Recognition: Outlines procedures for employee organizations to become certified bargaining agents, including filing petitions, demonstrating a 33% showing of interest, and conducting secret ballot elections (with a 14-day notice period).
• Labor Actions: Defines collective labor actions (strikes, slowdowns) and lockouts, outlining procedures for binding interest arbitration as an alternative. It protects employees from discharge or reassignment for lawful participation and ensures continuation of medical insurance during actions (with employee repayment).
• Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs): Prohibits specific actions by both the Corporate Authority (e.g., retaliation, interference, using public resources to oppose unions) and employee organizations (e.g., coercion, refusal to bargain). It establishes a process for individuals to file ULP complaints with the auditor, potentially leading to investigation, administrative hearings, or direct district court action. Remedies can include reinstatement, lost pay, and compensatory/punitive damages, with attorney fees awarded to prevailing plaintiffs.
• Employee Information & Access: Amends Sec. 2-271 to allow release of employee home addresses and phone numbers to employee organizations unless an employee opts out. It also grants employee organizations access to meeting rooms and requires 10-day notice for new employee orientations. The bill was amended on December 15, 2025, and approved by the Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on October 21, 2025.

This ordinance creates a structured system for city employees to collectively bargain for their terms of employment, potentially leading to a more stable, fairly compensated, and efficient public workforce. Residents may experience improved quality and consistency of city services as a result of better employee morale and reduced labor disputes, though it also establishes clear processes for strikes and lockouts. The new ULP complaint process offers individual employees stronger protections against unfair labor practices.

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