Ski patrollers and marijuana growers are the new face of labor unions in Colorado.
The Denver Post reports union membership in all sectors, nationwide, fell to its lowest point ever recently.
But just this winter, ski patrollers at Keystone and Eldora adopted unions (although the latter is being contested). Last year it was Loveland patrollers and lift mechanics. The year before it was Breckenridge patrollers.
In downtown Denver, employees at the Green Dragon cannabis grow are the only agriculture workers taking advantage of the Farmworkers Bill of Rights. This 2021 law was meant to foster ag unions for an estimated 40,000 laborers statewide. Lawmakers predicted at least six new union votes every year.
Experts tell the Post the biggest hurdle is where most laborers come from: Many are immigrants worried about their legal status.
Read more about Colorado ag unions and the Farmworkers Bill of Rights from The Denver Post.