In accordance with the provisions of this article, employees have the right of self-organization and the right to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own free choosing, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. Each employee also has the right to refrain from any of such activities. The rights of each employee are essential rights, and nothing contained in this article shall be so construed as to infringe upon or have any operation against or in conflict with such rights.
Source: L. 43: p. 397, § 4. CSA: C. 97, § 94(4). CRS 53: § 80-5-4. C.R.S. 1963: § 80-4-4.
ANNOTATION
Law reviews. For article, "The Regional Transportation District Strike and the Colorado Labor Peace Act: A Study in Public Sector Collective Bargaining", see 54 U. Colo. L. Rev. 203 (1983).
State legislative policy concerning employer-employee relations is declared in this section. Bldg. Constr. Trades Council v. Am. Bldrs., Inc., 139 Colo. 236, 337 P.2d 953 (1959).
Legislative intent. The language of the third sentence of this section evinces an intent on the part of the general assembly to protect the working man's right to freely chart his own course with regard to labor organization activities. Commc'ns Workers of Am. v. W. Elec. Co., 191 Colo. 128, 551 P.2d 1065 (1976).
Labor Peace Act does not limit or constrain the law on metropolitan sewage disposal districts concerning the determination of prevailing rates of pay. Such a district is not required to negotiate or engage in collective bargaining in fixing employee compensation at prevailing rates for equivalent work. Local 1 v. Metro Wastewater Reclamation, 876 P.2d 82 (Colo. App. 1994).
Section held preempted by federal labor legislation since the labor management relations act contains a provision (29 U.S.C. § 157) which is the equivalent of this section. Bldg. Constr. Trades Council v. Am. Bldrs., Inc., 139 Colo. 236, 337 P.2d 953 (1959).
Regulation of all-union agreements not limited to closed shop agreements. In view of the emphatic language contained in the legislative declaration of rights of employees in this section, regulation of "all-union agreements" is not limited to closed shop agreements. Commc'ns Workers of Am. v. W. Elec. Co., 191 Colo. 128, 551 P.2d 1065 (1976).
Applied in City & County of Denver v. Indus. Comm'n, 195 Colo. 431, 579 P.2d 80 (1978); Ruff v. Kezer, 199 Colo. 182, 606 P.2d 441 (1980).