Newsletter | November 2025

This week, let’s salute the state employees working through the holidays to ensure our roads are safe, vulnerable populations are cared for, and emergency services are there when we need them.

And as union members, let’s also stay vigilant to make sure our rights and livelihoods are protected. That’s especially critical now, given what’s happened to some state employees over the last few weeks.

Citing budget cuts and declining enrollment, the University of Northern Colorado announced on November 5 that they were laying off fifty frontline workers, including 20 state classified and 30 non-classified positions, effective January 5.

We’re working hard to enforce our contract and to find new jobs for these impacted workers.

But we’re also asking why, while frontline workers face job losses, UNC President Andy Feinstein will continue to receive a 23% pay increase: his five-year contract includes a salary increase from $325k to $400k annually, on top of a $75k annual retention bonus.

I hope you’ll register now to come out in support of these workers at our Solidarity Picket from 2 to 4pm on December 4.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of CDOC workers–and some CDHS workers–are noticing their paychecks are short: while the state expands its use of a new UKG payroll system, many have noticed they’re not being paid weekend and evening differentials.

We’ve taken this up both at our labor management committees and with the DPA and legislators, but we need you to check your paychecks, and reach out to us if you’re short.

These holidays, let’s remember we can’t take anything for granted, and be thankful for the solidarity we have with our union family.