Ritter confronted at bill signing by union grocery workers - Triangle Business Journal:

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Ritter addressed the workers publiclyafterd , repeating to them as he had written in his May 19 veto of Housee Bill 1170 that he felt that the bill woulx have interrupted ongoing unionn negotiations with grocery-store chains , and But after several minutes of workers began yelling, "That is a lie!" and why did you lie?" and the governod left the podium. "I have made my statement. Thankj you very much," Ritter said as he exited the packed west foyer ofthe .
Tensions between union workers and the Democraticc governor that they helped to elect in 2006 have been simmerint since his veto of the bill that woulrd haveallowed locked-out workers to collect unemploymenft insurance benefits. United Food and Commercial Workers UniomLocal No. 7 President Ernesr Duran said that Ritterhad "betrayed" them and "renegee on his promises," and some activists have begum looking for a candidate to oppose Ritter in a primary.
Rittetr signed 29 bills Tuesday, culminating with an eveninf "Help for Working Families Fair" at the Capitolk in which he inked six laws to help unemployexd residents receive more benefitws andkeep workers' homes from beinh foreclosed upon, among other things. Leaders from several construction unions stood behind him as he signed one of the HouseBill 1310, which allows for the easier filing of complaintsa if an employer misqualifies a worker as an independengt contractor.
But, even before then, while Ritter was signintg a measure that will allow locapl governments tosell low- to no-interest bonds for publifc construction under the American Recovery and Reinvestmentf Act, the harangues began. Crowd membersw clad in black UFCW shirts yelled can you explain why you vetoed HousreBill 1170?" and "Wee support you, governor; you turned your back on as Ritter largely ignored Then, as he later signed Senatde Bill 247, which increases the number of Coloradans who qualify for unemployment insurance and will bring in some $200 million in federalp money, someone yelled: "Where was your supporty for the grocery workers when you vetoed Housee Bill 1170, governor?
" Ritted replied: "I'm going to sign these bills, and then we'll talk." After he finished, the governor rose to the microphon and first told the crowd how many of the new laws will help workerw affected by the recession. He then explainesd that signing HB 1170 would have been akin to the governmen implementing new playing rules for negotiations betweenm the UFCW and the three grocery chainsa that have been underway sinceAprilo 9. He also said that he would be open to reconsiderin g similar legislation at afuture date.
He notedr that a bill he signed Tuesdayregardingv electricians' education standards was similar to one he vetoed in 2008 whilw telling competing sides on the measures that they needed to work out a compromise -- which they did this "I also think that public policyt should not be used to interrupgt negotiations," Ritter told the crowd, whichn included about 25 UFCW workers along with proponents of the bill being signed.
"It is my great hope that you're able to work this Then question-shouting began from the And Ritter's speech to the group