Unionized workers at Cobalt, Colorado’s largest abortion fund, have ratified their first-ever contract. It includes expanded benefits, legal protection in the face of national political uncertainty, and post-ratification wage increases that range from 6-12%.
This contract comes exactly a year after the beginning of bargaining, and almost 18 months after unanimously winning their election. Through their campaign to organize and ratify this contract, workers faced a multitude of union-busting tactics, including layoffs and unfair labor practices; now, with a contract in place, Cobalt Workers United is optimistic that they have created the working conditions they need to successfully advocate for their clients.
Contract Highlights:
- Annual paid time off increases, ranging from 18 to 29 days per year depending on years of service.
- Legal support for employees if they are targeted by anti-choice laws for performing their jobs, which is crucial for abortion workers under the second Trump administration.
- 100% employer-covered premiums for health, vision, and dental insurance.
- Clear job descriptions and guaranteed opportunities for professional development.
- A new $55,000 wage floor, annual 3% COLAs, and the potential for additional increases through in-unit promotion or merit pay.
“I am so grateful to my fellow union members for all of the hard work and commitment that it took for us to win our first contract. It took us 364 long days, during a politically devastating year,” says Molly Arndt, Cobalt’s Abortion Fund Senior Intake Coordinator and Program Communications Manager.
“The belief that everyone deserves a living wage, access to affordable healthcare, and workplace protections are a core part of our values as abortion workers, and I am proud of us for fighting for a better working environment for ourselves and each other, too. I am hopeful that our contract will be a building block for a better Cobalt and a better abortion access landscape, and that our union will continue to grow, and strengthen our future contracts in the years to come. Solidarity with all workers and abortion seekers forever!”
“We started Cobalt Workers United because we refused to let important work be built on exhaustion and struggle. Mission-driven work should never require accepting burnout or inconsistency. In this field, we give so much of ourselves, and forming our union was the first time we collectively said: our well being matters, too,” says Data and Digital Organizer Sydney Haney.
“Throughout bargaining, we made it clear that workers deserve consistency, transparency, and protections that match the weight of the work we do. Ratifying this contract gives us stability, clarity, and a foundation to build a healthier workplace, not just for ourselves, but for every worker who comes after us.”
Follow the workers on Instagram and Facebook to keep in touch.
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Cobalt Workers United is a bargaining unit representing eight abortion fund activists and intake coordinators at Cobalt, in the Denver News Guild (TNG-CWA 37074). The NewsGuild-CWA represents over 27,000 journalists, media workers, and non-profit workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The NewsGuild-CWA is a sector of the Communications Workers of America.