House Bill 1153, which would allow unionized state employees to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions, won final approval from the House on Monday on a party-line 41-23 vote. 

But before that final vote, Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, the bill’s co-sponsor, called out Republicans for some of their comments during Friday’s debate.

House Republicans attempted more than two dozen amendments during debate last Friday, including prohibiting the union from using membership due for political activity. “This isn’t about state employees,” said Rep. Mark Baisley, R-Roxborough Park. “We appreciate and adore our employees and believe they should be treated respectably and paid well.” Baisley said the bill is about a political organization “that is inserting itself for the sake of control and for funding campaign activity.”

Esgar took most offense at an amendment, one of several offered by Rep. Dave Williams, R-Colorado Springs, that linked state employees to organized crime. “We don’t want union dues to go to illegal activities,” Williams said. Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, also spoke in favor of the amendment. “New York City has a long history of unions tied to the mob and organized crime,” he said. “It’s very important that we’re careful with the relationship with organized crime, and if union dues are involved, make sure the state has the tools to bust any kind of union-organized crime relationship.” 

Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone, called it the “Jimmy Hoffa” amendment.

Monday, the gloves came off for Esgar.

“I didn’t want to stand in the way of your weekend” or for Valentine’s Day, Esgar said Monday, explaining why she said little about the amendment on Friday.

“I personally have been hearing about the struggles of state employees long before I was in office,” Esgar said. Noting that one in eight state employees live in Pueblo, Esgar said they are her friends and family members. These are people who care more about patients well-being than their own, work mandatory overtime or are in dangerous conditions in prisons, she said. 

On Friday, “I held back,” and let the onslaught of over 25 amendments come and go. But some of the comments made by Republicans “have bothered me all weekend.” 

“When members of this body compared union bosses I knew growing up and am friends with now, to members of organized crime, corrupt backroom dealers wearing suspenders and smoking cigars, I cringed. I held back,” Esgar said.

Union members bolstered people in Pueblo when the steel workers went on strike, or when teachers went on strike, she said. 

“These are things you are saying about people I know. You are talking about my friends, who have done nothing but hold our community together in some of our worst times. People who have always looked out for the greater good and taught me to do the same.”

Her voice breaking, Esgar said, “I felt it was my duty to stand up for these people who I know and who I love, and who took this as personal attacks.”