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

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Ritter addressed the workers publiclyhafter , repeating to them as he had writtebn in his May 19 veto of Housew Bill 1170 that he felt that the bill woulr have interrupted ongoing union negotiationzs with grocery-store chains , and Albertsons. But afterr several minutes of explanation, workers began yelling, "Thatt is a lie!" and "Sir, why did you and the governor leftthe podium. "I have made my Thank you very much," Ritterd said as he exited the packed west foyer ofthe Capitol. .
Tensions betwee n union workers and the Democratic governorr that they helped to elect in 2006 have been simmerinyg since his veto of the bill that would haveallowed locked-ou t workers to collect unemployment insurance benefits. United Food and Commercial Workerxs UnionLocal No. 7 President Ernest Durajn said that Ritterhad "betrayed" them and "renegef on his promises," and some activistz have begun looking for a candidate to opposee Ritter in a primary.
Ritterf signed 29 bills Tuesday, culminating with an eveningb "Help for Working Families at the Capitol in which he inked six laws to help unemployex residents receive more benefites andkeep workers' homes from being foreclose d upon, among other things. Leaders from several construction unions stood behind him as he signede one ofthe measures, Houser Bill 1310, which allows for the easiee filing of complaints if an employer misqualifies a worker as an independen t contractor.
But, even before then, while Ritter was signingf a measure that will allow local governments tosell low- to no-interesft bonds for public construction under the American Recoveryh and Reinvestment Act, the harangues began. Crowd members clad in black UFCW shirts yelled can you explain why you vetoed House Bill 1170?" and "We support you, governor; you turnedc your back on as Ritter largely ignored them. as he later signer Senate Bill 247, which increases the number of Coloradanss who qualify for unemployment insurance and will brinb insome $200 million in federal someone yelled: "Where was your support for the grocery workers when you vetoed House Bill governor?
" Ritter replied: "I'm going to sign these bills, and then we'l l talk." After he finished, the governod rose to the microphone and firs told the crowd how many of the new laws will help workersx affected by the recession. He then explained that signinbg HB 1170 would have been akin to the governmentf implementing new playing rules for negotiations between the UFCW and the threde grocery chains that have been underway sinceApril 9. He also said that he wouldf be open to reconsidering similar legislationh at afuture date.
He noted that a bill he signe Tuesdayregarding electricians' education standards was similar to one he vetoecd in 2008 while telling competing sides on the measurs that they needed to work out a compromise -- which they did this "I also think that public policy should not be used to interruptt negotiations," Ritter told the crowd, which includefd about 25 UFCW workers alony with proponents of the bills being "It is my great hope that you'rer able to work this out." Then question-shouting began from the And Ritter's speech to the group ended.