Labor News & Commentary April 4 SEIU launches a campaign defending detained union members & more

[Omaha Steve]

https://onlabor.org/april-4-2025/

By Miriam Li

Miriam Li is a student at Harvard Law School and a member of the Labor and Employment Lab.

In today’s news and commentary, Colorado legislators negotiate over union security thresholds, SEIU launches a campaign defending detained union members, and tens of thousands of University of California workers go on strike over unfair labor practices.

In Colorado, Senate Bill 5 continues to spark fierce debate as it aims to eliminate the state’s 80-year-old rule requiring that 75% of workers sign off before unions can negotiate union security agreements (agreements that allow unions to charge fees to all represented workers). Union advocates strongly support the bill, while business groups remain strongly opposed. Although Democrats likely have the votes to pass the measure, Governor Jared Polis has threatened to veto the bill if it reaches his desk in its current form, calling on both sides to reach a compromise. According to The Colorado Sun, Governor Polis stated that “the business community has proposed several changes,” describing those proposals as “a victory for labor, if they will simply take it.” Although lawmakers are still negotiating potential amendments, the bill’s future remains uncertain as the 2025 legislative session approaches its May 7 deadline.

Meanwhile, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has kicked off a six-figure digital ad campaign spotlighting the detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University Ph.D. student and SEIU Local 509 member. The campaign features ads and projections on buildings in major cities, drawing attention to what the union calls an “ongoing assault on the 1st Amendment.” SEIU also organized rallies this week demanding the release of Ozturk and Lewelyn Dixon, another SEIU member who ICE detained in February. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the detentions, arguing the government can revoke visas if visa holders engage in disruptive protest activities. Ozturk had previously written an op-ed supporting Palestine, but the specific protest actions leading to her detention remain unclear.

FULL story at link above.