Labor raises $1.58 million, Money will fund ballot initiatives; right-to-work group raised $200,250

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9125722

Money will fund ballot initiatives; right-to-work group raised $200,250
By Andy Vuong
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 05/02/2008 02:32:15 AM MDT

Labor unions have raised $1.58 million to push a pair of ballot initiatives that would hold executives criminally liable for company wrongdoings and require businesses to provide reasons for firing workers.

The Service Employees International Union, the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters union and other labor groups provided nearly all of the money collected by Protect Colorado's Future, records filed Thursday with the secretary of state's office show.

Meanwhile, the group conducting the business-backed right-to-work campaign has raised $200,250, with $200,000 coming from Golden-based CoorsTek.

Protect Colorado's Future already has spent much of its money on grassroots voter organization. But $900,000 is available to fund the collection of signatures to get the labor- backed measures on the ballot and to fight the right-to-work initiative, the group said.

In addition to contributions from labor unions, Protect Colorado's Future had hundreds of individual donors who, for the most part, contributed less than $50 each.

"We're humbled by the support that we've gotten from a lot of folks," said Jess Knox, executive director of the pro-labor group.

FULL story at link.