CCH workers tell Denver council they won union vote, urge accountability after alleged union-busting

Members of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless told the Denver City Council during the Jan. 27 public comment period that staff in the organization’s Housing Supportive Services department voted overwhelmingly in favor of union representation and urged the council to hold CCH management accountable for what they described as efforts to resist the vote.

Speakers said the coalition provides vital services to Denver’s unhoused residents and asked council members to continue funding those services while pressing CCH leadership on staffing and management practices.

Katie Debinsky, a former case manager at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said staffing shortages undercut service delivery. “I was often the only case manager for 100 clients,” Debinsky said, describing situations in which case managers could not find or coordinate resources for clients.

Dan Calderon, a current case manager at CCH, told the council the union vote reflected staff frustration with management’s response to staffing and other concerns: “The result of our election being 87% of voters choosing yes is indicative of a C suite that is not meeting our staff’s needs,” Calderon said.

Maggie Rosen, a behavioral health clinician who said she recently moved into Housing Supportive Services from outreach and engagement, said the HSS department “overwhelmingly won the union election” and asked council members to support staff in negotiations.

Another staff speaker said management had resisted the union drive. “CCH has hired costly union busting lawyers to obstruct our efforts,” said a case manager who identified themself as Grama, urging the city to encourage collaboration rather than “wasteful tactics.”

Speakers repeatedly framed their requests as twofold: preserve and continue funding for CCH’s client services, and use city oversight or follow-up to ensure management addresses understaffing and other operational problems staff raised. Several urged the council to ask city staff to follow up with CCH leadership where appropriate.

Denver council rules prevented members from responding during the public comment period; the clerk noted council members or staff may contact speakers after the meeting for follow-up.