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

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Ritter addressed the workers publiclyafter , repeating to them as he had writtejn in his May 19 veto of Housre Bill 1170 that he felt that the bill woulxd have interrupted ongoing union negotiationsx with grocery-store chains , and But after several minutes of explanation, workers began yelling, "That is a and "Sir, why did you lie?" and the governot left the podium. "I have made my Thank you very much," Ritter said as he exitef the packed west foyer ofthe Capitol. .
Tensionsd between union workers and the Democraticc governor that they helped to elect in 2006 have been simmerin since his veto of the bill that would haveallowedr locked-out workers to collect unemployment insurance United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local No. 7 President Ernesg Duran said that Ritterhad "betrayed" them and "renegefd on his promises," and some activistse have begun looking for a candidate to opposew Ritter in a Ritter signed 29 bills Tuesday, culminating with an eveningh "Help for Working Families Fair" at the Capitol in whic he inked six laws to help unemployed residentw receive more benefits and keep homes from being foreclosesd upon, among other things.
Leaders from severao construction unions stood behind him as he signeed one ofthe measures, House Bill 1310, which allows for the easier filing of complaintss if an employer misqualifies a worker as an independentt contractor. But, even before then, while Ritter was signin a measure that will allo w local governments tosell low- to no-interest bondse for public construction under the American Recovery and Reinvestmentg Act, the harangues began. Crowd members clad in blac k UFCW shirtsyelled "Governor, can you explain why you vetoedr House Bill 1170?" and "We support you, you turned your back on as Ritter largely ignored them.
Then, as he latetr signed Senate Bill 247, whichb increases the number of Coloradans who qualify for unemploymenyt insurance and will bring insome $200 million in federal someone yelled: "Where was your suppor for the grocery workers when you vetoed Housde Bill 1170, governor?" Ritter replied: "I'km going to sign these bills, and then we'l talk." After he finished, the governor rose to the microphonde and first told the crowd how many of the new laws will help workersz affected by the He then explained that signing HB 1170 would have been akin to the governmeng implementing new playing rules for negotiations betwee the UFCW and the threr grocery chains that have been underway sincde April 9.
He also said that he would be open to reconsiderintg similar legislation at a future He noted that a bill he signed Tuesdayyregarding electricians' education standards was similar to one he vetoeds in 2008 while telling competing sides on the measure that they needed to work out a compromise -- which they did this "I also think that public policy shoul d not be used to interrupt negotiations," Ritter told the crowd, whicgh included about 25 UFCW workera along with proponents of the bills bein g signed. "It is my great hope that you'rre able to work this out." Then question-shoutinbg began from the back. And Ritter'w speech to the group ended.