Courtesy: City of Lafayette
In May 2024, Lafayette police officers petitioned the city requesting collective bargaining, which is allowed under Colorado statute.
If approved, the city and the police officers’ representatives would enter into negotiations to create a bargaining agreement.
What is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining provides a method for unions to negotiate with employers on behalf of their members to determine terms of employment including wages, hours, safety policies and fringe benefits.
Other things to consider:
- Lafayette’s firefighters already have the right to collectively bargain. In 2015, 68.6% of voters approved a ballot question to obligate the city to engage in collective bargaining with the local chapter of the International Association of Firefighters.
- Boulder, Longmont and Aurora have collective bargaining agreements with their police officers.
- Lafayette Sergeant Tyler Maynard, a representative of the FOP, said during a city council meeting that other Colorado cities with collective bargaining are more attractive in a competitive market for a dwindling pool of applicants. He also said collective bargaining will lead to better retention.
- Opponents of collective bargaining for police argue that it obstructs accountability and transparency by allowing police to set their own rules for disciplinary action and blocking attempts at reform. Proponents counter that it affords police officers due process rights.