AFSCME members beat back Pueblo County’s furlough plan after taking collective action 

Faced with having their paid holidays taken away, Pueblo County workers came together through AFSCME and won.

The Pueblo County Board of Commissioners voted in February to furlough all county employees by converting paid holidays into unpaid days off.

Members of AFSCME Local 1335 quickly mobilized to overturn the county’s proposal, refusing to take a pay cut because of the county’s budget deficit.

They formed a member action team, collected feedback from union members and sent hundreds of responses to county commissioners.

Within a few days of the vote, AFSCME members, allies and their families held a massive rally to fight back. Their message was clear: don’t force budget cuts on the backs of front-line workers and their families.

“The impact on all of us is huge,” said Roseanna Torres-Herrera, a county employee, in an interview with FOX21 News. “A blow like this to our income could be devastating.”

More than 200 people joined the protest on Presidents Day, their first furlough day.

AFSCME members, including Torres-Herrera and Local 1335 President Dakota Lamoureaux spoke out, and reporters across the region shared their stories.

For weeks after the rally, county workers continued to organize and fight back through AFSCME. They held three town halls meetings with a county commissioner. 

Workers explained how they are already struggling to afford the basics like prescriptions and utilities.

All their hard work paid off when county commissioners voted on March 12 to rescind their furlough plan.

Workers across the state are turning to AFSCME Colorado to win fair wages, better benefits and safe working conditions. Visit the union website to get involved and learn more.