Learn the difference between the University of Colorado's Shared Governance Groups, Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions (WINS) and labor unions.
| CU Shared Governance | COWINS | Unions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What are these organizations? | CU shared governance groups, including faculty and staff councils, are CU employee led groups recognized by the Board of Regents to collaborate in major decisions affecting the welfare of the university. Faculty and staff councils serve as the representative governance organizations for their areas and communicate matters of concern to university leaders including advocating for the rights of employees. | Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions (WINS) is a union representing more than 27,000 state of Colorado employees. They work to improve quality of services, safety, pay and benefits, working conditions, conflict resolution, staff attrition and more to ensure an effective workforce to serve all Coloradans. | Any group that organizes together to express views regarding workplace issues, terms and conditions of employment, and other matters of public concern if recognized by an employer's governing board (such as CU's Board of Regents). |
| Who do these organizations represent? | CU's Faculty Councils represent all tenured and tenure-track faculty with appropriate participation by instructional, research and clinical faculty. CU's Staff Councils represent all University Staff and Classified Staff. |
COWINS under the current 2024 Partnership Agreement with the state of Colorado represent Classified Staff defined as "covered" statewide. This includes the majority of classified staff employees at CU along with those at other higher education institutions and state agencies in Colorado. Currently there are approximately 1,200 Classified Staff at CU. | Outside of COWINS, there are currently no other recognized unions or bargaining organizations with recognized relationships with CU. Other groups wanting to unionize on behalf of CU employees may be local, regional or national and must be recognized by the Board of Regents to engage in bargaining discussions. |
| Who makes up the organization's leadership? | CU employees are elected by their peers | Typically, non-CU employees except for selected employee steward(s). | Typically, non-CU employees. The organization may be local, regional or national. |
| Who has to recognize the organization? | University of Colorado Board of Regents | State of Colorado Governor | University of Colorado Board of Regents |
| Methodology | Works directly with the CU Administration on behalf of CU employees to collaborate in major decisions affecting the welfare of the university and communicate matters of concern to university leaders including advocating for the rights of employees (including pay, benefits, working conditions, conflict resolution, attrition, etc.) | Periodic bargaining with the state of Colorado to create a Partnership Agreement that improves quality of services, safety, pay and benefits, working conditions, conflict resolution, staff attrition and more to ensure an effective workforce to serve all Coloradans. | Express views regarding workplace issues, terms and conditions of employment, and other matters of public concern with the organization's governing board. May engage in bargaining activities if recognized by the Board of Regents. |
| Cost of representation | Faculty and staff council members volunteer their time and services on behalf of CU employees. CU employees do not pay for these services. | CU employees may be asked to pay dues to the union for these services, whether the employee is covered by the union's services or not. | CU employees may be asked to pay dues to the union for these services, whether the employee is covered by the union's services or not. |
| Campus representation | Each campus maintains their own shared governance structures which create a university-wide council to bring issues to the Administration and Board of Regents. | No individual campus representation or deviation from the Partnership Agreement except through side agreement negotiations. COWINS represents all classified employees in the State of Colorado as one unit. | No individual campus representation and bargaining would occur with the Board of Regents on a periodic basis (e.g., annually, every two years, etc.). |
| Applicable reference links | 2024 Partnership Agreement | CDLE Rules on PROPWA - C.R.S. 24-33-101 | |
| Websites |
University of Colorado Staff Council CU System Staff Council (login required) |
Colorado WINS website | N/A |
Last updated: 10/2025
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