The U.S. economy today in some ways offers the most favorable conditions workers have had in years. The unemployment rate is as low as it has been in two decades, having bounced back from a COVID-induced spike in 2020. Simultaneously, the wave of quits and job switches now known as the Great Resignation shows that workers are on the hunt for better jobs. To recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market, employers are raising wages and offering better benefits and flexible working arrangements.

Amid these labor-friendly conditions, another historic source of worker power may be making a comeback: unions. Recent union drives at major U.S. employers like Starbucks and Amazon have grabbed headlines, and Congress is currently considering the PRO Act, a major piece of legislation to strengthen unions. But support for unions is more widespread than that. A majority of Americans believe that declines in union membership have been bad for the country, and according to the National Labor Relations Board, petitions for union elections nationwide rose by 57% from 2021 to 2022.

While labor organizing appears to be on the rise again, unions have a ways to go to reverse the long-running decline in unionization of recent decades. Forty years ago, one in five U.S. workers (20.1%) was a union member, but today, that figure is approximately one in ten (10.3%).

Experts point to a number of factors for the decline of unions in the U.S. The rise of right-to-work laws and other beginning in the middle of the 20th century allowed more employers to hire non-union workers. The economic downturn of the late 1970s and early 1980s led to major layoffs for many heavily unionized employers and industries. Globalization has made it easier for employers to find less expensive labor outside of the U.S., while technological advancements have allowed certain professions to be more automated.

The impact of these factors has been experienced differently across sectors of the economy. Industries like transportation and warehousing, manufacturing, construction, and trade have seen the sharpest declines in union membership rate over the last two decades. These are industries that have been reshaped by the major economic and social trends that have contributed to decreases in union participation. In contrast, fields like education and health care have experienced more measured declines.

Unionization’s steady decline has been costly for workers in many industries. Across all wage and salary workers, union members receive $194 more per week than non-union members in median weekly earnings. In some cases the difference can be even greater: for example, union construction workers earn $422 more per week than their non-union categories.

As organized labor potentially regrows its role in the U.S. economy, some parts of the country will offer more favorable terrain than others. Among the 27 states with right-to-work laws, union membership rates average 6.1%, compared to 13.8% in the states without. Rates are even lower in some parts of the country, including Southern states which have historically had more limitations on union activity. In contrast, the top states for union participation are largely found in the Northeast and in the West.

The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021 Current Population Survey. To determine the states with the highest union participation rates, researchers at HireAHelper calculated the percentage of workers who are union members. In the event of a tie, the state with the greater percentage of workers who are represented by unions was ranked higher.

The analysis found that 6.5% of Colorado workers are union members, compared to 10.3% of workers nationally. Here is a summary of the data for Colorado:

• Percentage of workers who are union members: 6.5%
• Percentage of workers who are represented by unions: 7.5%
• Total workers who are union members: 165,000
• Total workers who are represented by unions: 192,000

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

• Percentage of workers who are union members: 10.3%
• Percentage of workers who are represented by unions: 11.6%
• Total workers who are union members: 14,012,000
• Total workers who are represented by unions: 15,802,000

For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on HireAHelper’s website: https://www.hireahelper.com/lifestyle/states-with-the-highest-union-participation-rates/

Join Us! 

Energize Colorado is hosting two resource fairs to connect small business owners with business support organizations. These organizations have funding, technical assistance, and other resources for your business. Small business owners from any area of the state and any industry are welcome. Special thanks to our partners CEDS Finance, Southern Colorado SBDC, SCEDD, NeighborWorks and the State of Colorado’s Business Intelligence Center for supporting this event.

Join us for one or both of these events.

• Tuesday, July 19, 4:00  – 6:00 p.m. at CEDS FINANCE (10660 East Colfax Avenue #Suite B Aurora, CO 80010)

• Wednesday, July 27, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at NeighborWorks Southern Colorado (1241 East Routt Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81004)

REGISTER FOR AURORA

REGISTER FOR PUEBLO

Energize Community Program Loan Application Deadline: Thursday, July 14

The Energize Community Program (ECP) loan application is open to support small business owners located in East Colfax, Pueblo, Southwest Denver, and the Child Care Industry. Apply through the Energize Colorado website. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE THIS THURSDAY JULY 14, 2022. 

Through ECP, Energize Colorado will deploy $5.7 million in low-interest loans directly to business owners for needs that include debt consolidation, capital improvements, payroll, rent, utilities, working capital, equipment, and inventory. Business owners are eligible to apply for up to $20,000.

• Interest Rate: 2.5%

• Loan Size: Up to $20,000

• Term: Up to 36-months (3 years)

• Loan recipients will have access to a 14-week accelerator program that is valued at $1,200.

If you have already filled out the application registration form, you can log-in to the application portal here. Please note: you only need to fill out the form once to start an application.

Questions? Reach out to .

APPLY NOW

Opening a Private Practice for Therapists and Wellness Professionals | THURSDAY, JULY 14

Join our 6-week online business foundations program to support Colorado therapists and wellness professionals with education focused on opening a Private Practice. Our next session is this Thursday, July 14th. Questions? Connect with .

REGISTER

The Good Boss Evolution: Recruitment, hiring and retention strategies that get great results | WEDNESDAY, JULY 13

Join Good Business Colorado and Energize Colorado for the next session in our Lunch and Learn Series. In this era where the tight labor market is being felt across Colorado and especially in the rural and frontier parts of the state, it is more important than ever for employers to be able to hire and retain great employees. This highly interactive session will provide attendees with an opportunity to engage with the panelists and their peers to explore insight into best practices for hiring and actionable ideas for increasing employee retention and loyalty.

REGISTER

The Colorado Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations for two positions on the Hemp Advisory Committee (HAC) to represent Seed Development/Genetics and Higher Education Research Institutions. While HAC members usually serve three year terms, these vacancies need to be filled for the remainder of their term that will expire on July 31, 2023. Members can serve up to three terms (9 years) on the Committee.

The ten person Hemp Advisory Committee provides advice to the Commissioner of Agriculture by reviewing proposed rules and recommending new rules or changes to existing rules, including rules that establish CDA’s inspection program to determine THC concentration.

HAC member responsibilities:

• Attend quarterly meetings.
• Assist the Commissioner and program staff in promulgating rules to carry out the Hemp Act, Title 35, Article 61.
• Represent their industry segment as a whole, not just themselves or their company’s interests.

Nominations will be reviewed for qualifications by CDA staff and final decisions of who will be appointed to sit on the Committee will be made by the Colorado Agricultural Commission.

More information about the positions can be found on the Hemp Advisory Committee page. Interested candidates can submit their nominations online no later than Friday, July 15, 2022 at 5 pm.

El Departamento de Agricultura busca dos miembros para el Comité Asesor del Cáñamo (HAC)

Broomfield, Colorado — El Departamento de Agricultura de Colorado (CDA) está buscando nominaciones para cubrir dos puestos en el Comité Asesor del Cáñamo (HAC) para representar a las instituciones de Desarrollo de Semillas/Genética e Investigación de Educación Colegial. Aunque los miembros del HAC suelen tener un mandato de tres años, es necesario cubrir estas posiciones vacantes para lo que resta del término, que vence el 31 de julio de 2023. Los miembros pueden servir en el comité por 3 periodos (9 años).

El Comité Asesor del Cáñamo se compone de diez personas que brindan asesoramiento al comisionado de Agricultura al revisar las regulaciones propuestas y recomendar nuevas reglas o cambios a las ya existentes, incluyendo las reglas que establecen el programa de inspección del CDA para determinar la concentración de THC.

Responsabilidades de los miembros del HAC:

• Asistir a las reuniones trimestrales.
• Ayudar al comisionado y al personal del programa a promulgar reglas para ejercer la Ley del Cáñamo, Título 35, Artículo 61.
• Representar a su sector, no sólo a sí mismo o a los intereses de su empresa.

El personal del CDA evaluará las candidaturas para verificar calificaciones y la Comisión Agrícola de Colorado tomará la decisión final sobre quiénes serán nombrados al Comité.

Encuentre más información sobre los puestos en la página web del Comité Asesor del Cáñamo. Los candidatos interesados pueden enviar sus nominaciones en línea, a más tardar el viernes 15 de julio de 2022 a las 5 p.m.

TDS has informed us that the landline phones may be out until tomorrow. This is also affecting 911 calls, and the Adams County Sheriff has requested residents use the non-emergency number of (303)288-1535 for emergencies.

–TDS is currently working on the problem.
For those needing to contact The I-70 Scout office for immediate assistance, please E-MAIL us at:

THANK YOU,
The I-70 Publishing Company

On Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m., representatives from the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming and the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) will sign a historic memorandum of agreement (MOA), culminating more than a year of work to formalize the relationship between the Tribe and the County.  

 

The signing ceremony will take place in the Administration Building’s East Hearing Room, and then the group will move through the room’s south exit to the Admin Building front lawn, near the flagpoles, for a prayer and flag-raising ceremony. Reporters can conduct interviews with County and Arapaho officials after the two ceremonies. 

 

WHAT: Signing ceremony with BOCC and Northern Arapaho, followed by a flag-raising ceremony. 

WHERE: East Hearing Room, Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton 

WHEN: Signing ceremony at approximately 10:00 a.m., followed by the prayer and flag-raising at approximately 10:20. **There will be minor restrictions against filming some portions of the flag-raising ceremony.** 

 

Please note:  

·       Because of Election Day traffic, parking near the building will be more congested than usual.  

·       Anyone who wishes to attend the events should go to the East Hearing Room, just inside the Admin Building lobby, by 9:45 a.m. The BOCC will be holding its normal Tuesday business meeting at 9:30, and there may also be voting lines in the lobby.  

·       Please follow all guidelines around filming at Voter Services Polling Centers.