DENVER -- The sponsor of an initiative that would revoke permission for state and local governments to deduct union dues from workers' paychecks offered to pull his measure from the ballot on Monday if Gov. Bill Ritter rescinds an executive order granting state workers the ability to organize.

Jon Caldara, head of the Independence Institute, a conservative think tank, said he also wants Ritter's word that he would not legislate the ability of state workers to organize.

Ritter rejected the offer, saying his executive order did not force government employees to join a union or pay dues.

"For his offer, I would simply say I decline," Ritter said.

Caldara said Ritter offered to help business and union leaders reach an agreement to pull some union measures off the November ballot in exchange for business help in fighting a right-to-work measure.

"The governor wants everyone to holster their weapons. Let's be clear, with his executive order, Gov. Ritter was the first to draw his weapon," Caldara said.

Manny Gonzales, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 which is backing several of the initiatives, said union-business talks are ongoing as both sides try to sort through a raft of labor-related ballot measures approved for ballots this fall.

Labor groups have raised millions to fight a right-to-work measure, which would bar non-union workers from being forced to pay dues.

Unions say they want anti-labor issues pulled from the ballot, including the one sponsored by Caldara.

In response, labor groups placed four worker-friendly measures on ballots that worry business groups. Those include a requirement that businesses with at least 20 employees provide health insurance and a ban on firing employees without a specific reason.

The confusing labor crossfire has helped leave Colorado with the nation's longest ballot this year with 18 issues. But union groups have signaled they're willing to withdraw their four questions, as allowed under state law, if business groups will help them defeat the right-to-work amendment.

Groups that successfully file ballot questions with the secretary of state's office can request by Oct. 2 that the questions not be counted, though they'd still appear on ballots.

Wendy Greenwald, spokeswoman for the labor coalition Protect Colorado's Future, said it's unclear when or even if both sides would agree to back down.

Even if business groups talking with labor unions don't agree to help fund labor's campaigns, Colorado voters should be in for a deluge of campaigning against the right-to-work measure. Labor groups say they have raised more than $8 million and are prepared to raise millions more to defeat it.

Caldara's proposal, Amendment 49, would "prohibit governments from bundling money from public employees' paychecks and delivering the funds to special interest groups. These special interests use the money to lobby the same politicians who just delivered the cash to them."

Caldara said local governments across Colorado have set the pattern for the Ethical Standards Initiative, with 12 counties representing more than half the state's population (including Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, and Weld) have implemented this reform since 2007.