Teachers, firefighters rally against amendments
Story By: David Tauchen
Source: KOAA
Teachers and firefighters rallied against Amendments 47, 49, and 54 Saturday in Colorado Springs. Dozens of them crowded the intersection at Austin Bluffs and Academy to waive signs in protest.
"It is absolutely all about taking away our voice," said Liz Atkins, President of the Pikes Peak Education Association. "It's all about power."
Amendment 47, also known as the 'Right to Work' amendment would prohibit requiring someone to join a union or pay union dues. Amendment 49 restricts what deductions can be made from a public employees paycheck, prohibiting the deduction of union dues among other things. Amendment 54 sets limits on campaign contributions by public contractors.
Many of the sign wavers Saturday were teachers. A small group of fire fighters brought a union-owned fire truck to the rally.
However, proponents don't see this as a restriction of freedoms as the teachers claimed. "Government should be strictly focused on government services," said Chuck Broerman, of the Amendment 49 campaign.
"[These] practices make government end up seeming unethical...the bag man for special interest groups."
A spokesperson for the Amendment 47 campaign tells News First the amendment does not restrict freedoms of employees. Rather, the campaign says it gives them a right to choose whether to join a union.
Comment from the Amendment 54 campaign was not available by the time of this publishing.
