Posts tagged Denver
Promotoras successfully unionize at Westwood nonprofit Re:Vision
November 10, 2025 // Promotora is a Spanish word which literally translates to “promoter.” They are community health workers. Re:Vision’s promotoras provide food and health education to their community, staff a no-cost grocery store and teach their neighbors how to grow produce at home. The nonprofit has employed a promotora model for community health since 2010. Del Hierro became executive director in 2022. The majority of the organization’s promotoras joined UFCW Local 7, the local chapter of the United Food & Commercial Workers labor union. This move gives the promotoras more leverage in negotiations with Re:Vision management.
COLORADO: Casa Bonita actors, cliff divers launch strike during Halloween
October 31, 2025 // Casa Bonita workers voted to unionize in November 2024 as they sought better pay and to establish workplace protections. The restaurant and entertainment venue is a beloved historic landmark and in 2023, reopened under the ownership of locally raised celebrities Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The creators of the “South Park” TV show reportedly spent $40 million reviving the restaurant after purchasing it out of bankruptcy.
Cheesman Park cafe closes abruptly amid staff unionization effort
October 14, 2025 // The Secret Garden Bar & Cafe closed abruptly during service on Friday morning after workers began petitioning passers-by about their efforts to form a union. City Street Investors opened Secret Garden a year ago, next to its company headquarters at the Tears–McFarlane House, 1290 Williams St., a historic mansion adjacent to Cheesman Park in Denver. But barista Tess Devillier told the Denver Post that the company grew frustrated by employee attempts to unionize earlier this year.
UFCW Hit with Class Action Over Data Breach
October 2, 2025 // In the complaint, plaintiff GeriSue Hancock said the breach affected about 55,747 people and was detected by the union on Dec. 11, after “certain data may have been accessed or acquired” the day prior. According to the filing, UFCW Local 7R began notifying affected individuals this week — more than nine months later — allegedly hindering victims’ ability to mitigate identity-theft risks. Hancock, suing on behalf of a putative class, claimed the Denver-based local, which represents roughly 23,000 workers across supermarkets, packing houses and food processing plants, among others in Colorado and Wyoming, stored unencrypted, unredacted PII and failed to implement basic safeguards. The suit cited alleged deficiencies including inadequate employee training, lack of phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication, insufficient logging and monitoring, and retention of sensitive data longer than necessary.
Denver library staff fight to unionize amid budget cuts
September 29, 2025 // Many library workers on Wednesday said library staffers are burning out from huge workloads, including caring for homeless or immigrant patrons. “A lot of people know that a lot of library staff are not fairly compensated,” said Jeremey Bongers, an activities coordinator at the library. “There's a lot of the work that people are doing in the vein of social work that is not recognized.”
Laid-off Denver employees must give up right to sue to get severance
August 24, 2025 // Laid-off employees are being told that to receive severance, they must sign a legal waiver within 30 days — 45 days if they're over age 40 — giving up their right to sue the city. Between the lines: Johnston ran for mayor in 2023 as Denver's progressive favorite, drawing key endorsements from labor unions. Now, as his administration shields the city from legal fallout because of the cuts, some local union leaders and social justice advocates say he's betraying city staff.
Safeway/Albertsons union workers set to begin striking on Sunday in some locations
June 16, 2025 // Workers in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, and Longmont will vote to strike in the upcoming week.
Safeway, Albertsons union workers to vote next weekend on possible strike
May 28, 2025 // According to UFCW Local 7, which represents the union workers of Safeway and Albertsons, the company and union have been negotiating for eight months, most recently meeting on Friday, May 23. The union stated in an update posted to Facebook that Safeway agreed to “important language items” sought by the bargaining committee, “including a new drug and alcohol rehabilitation policy and protection of Drive Up and Go shopper work.”
Op-ed: Colorado workers should know their rights
May 22, 2025 // With the examples of Pueblo and Denver—and those in other states—in mind, Colorado employees would be wise to educate themselves on their rights under state and federal law regarding union membership and representation. With lawmakers determined to expand union power, it may be up to employees to ensure that union officials are also held accountable to the law.
COLORADO: As expected, Gov. Polis vetoes bill changing unionization requirements
May 19, 2025 // Lawmakers passed the bill at the end of the legislative session after negotiations between labor leadership and the business community failed. Democrats were hoping Polis would have a change of heart. "I would think as the figurehead of the Democratic party," Rep. Jennifer Bacon, who sponsored the bill, said on the House floor last Monday. "He will do what Democrats ask him to do and what Democrats worked on. I have faith that he will do it. He will sign this bill." That didn't happen. In his veto letter, Polis said he was open to changing the law but thinks there should be a higher threshold when voting for dues deductions.