DENVER, CO – Gov. Bill Ritter has vetoed a measure that would have given Colorado firefighters the right to collectively bargain without seeking approval from local governments first.

Ritter (D-Colorado) told the sponsors of Senate Bill 180 he planned to officially reject the legislation on Thursday. He will make a formal announcement at 3 p.m.

Supporters thought the measure struck a proper balance by prohibiting firefighters from striking while giving them collective bargaining powers to negotiate for better wages, pensions, safety gear etc. Colorado's cities and towns vigorously opposed the plan, saying it could do irreparable harm to their budgets during an economic recession.

Labor leaders criticized the governor last month when he rejected a measure that would have given unemployment benefits to locked out employees. Ritter said at the time it would have unnecessarily placed the state of Colorado in the middle of an on-going negotiation between King Soopers, Albertson's, Safeway and the union that represents their roughly 17,000 metro area workers who have been without a contract since the beginning of May.