Special districts attorney, <a href="http://www.irelandstapleton.com/people/attorneys/bio?id=22&amp;name=Dino%20A.%20Ross">Dino Ross</a>, will speak to members of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs' Combination Fire Departments Section on April 19th about how SB 13-025, a bill to mandate collective bargaining for firefighters that currently is before the Colorado House of Representatives, will impact Colorado's fire departments and their public employees.

This bill has far reaching implications, and a mandate, such as what is proposed, could be applied in other employer-employee relationships.

In 2009, former Governor Bill  Ritter vetoed the same legislation, believing collective bargaining to be a matter of local concern.  Proponents of the collective bargaining bill argue the state's interest in mandating collective bargaining for local employees is more important.