DENVER — Labor Day is a chance to celebrate American workers and the contributions they make to society. For labor unions in Colorado, it’s also a chance to take stock of what they have been able to accomplish for workers and the challenges that still lie ahead.

“Colorado has a deep labor history,” said Nicole Speer, a Boulder City Council member and supporter of labor unions. “Unions have been under attack for many decades now, so we're in a rebuilding phase."

Speer said unions are needed now more than ever.

“So many of us are being laid off,” said Speer. “When our health care is being taken away, when our rights are being taken away, that's exactly what we need to keep going and keep fighting.”

Speer was among those who lost their job earlier this year.

"I worked at the University o

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