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UNION
BOSSES, NOT VOTERS, WILL DECIDE HOW TO RUN ILLINOIS IF AMENDMENT 1
PASSES
Illinois Policy Institute/
Mailee Smith
Amendment 1 would constitutionally prohibit
Illinois lawmakers from pulling back on union power. It would give
government union bosses more power than voters and than those elected to
represent voters’ interests.
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 It’s democracy 101: Voters elect lawmakers. Lawmakers represent
their constituents in passing or rejecting bills. If voters don’t like what
their elected officials do, they can boot them at the next election.
But a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution on the ballot Nov. 8,
2022, would flip democracy on its head. The proposed Amendment 1 would hand more
power to union leaders than to elected representatives, leaving voters without
the ability to hold anyone accountable at the polls.
Buried in the multiple provisions of Amendment 1 is the following: No law shall
be passed that interferes with, negates, or diminishes the right of employees to
organize and bargain collectively over their wages, hours, and other terms and
conditions of employment and work place safety….
In other words, lawmakers’ hands will be tied. They will be unable to pass any
legislation that restricts organizing or bargaining because the provisions would
arguably interfere with the “fundamental right” outlined in the amendment.
Just a few examples of the power of this provision:
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Lawmakers will not be able to restrict the types of things
over which unions can demand to negotiate.
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Lawmakers will not be able to limit government worker
strikes.
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Lawmakers will not be able to clarify what “employees” are
covered by the amendment.
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And perhaps most jarring, lawmakers will never be
able to change a little-known provision in state law that allows
many government union contracts to override conflicting laws and
regulations.
No other state in the union restricts its lawmakers
from passing such labor provisions.
What does this all mean?
It means union leaders can demand negotiations over virtually
anything and threaten to go on strike unless their demands are met.
If union leaders don’t like current laws applicable to government
workers, they can demand different provisions in union contracts
that will override state law.
Where does that leave voters?
Without true representation. If union leaders can perpetually
rewrite laws through contrary union contract provisions, it won’t
matter who voters elect. They will be powerless. Voters will have no
one to hold accountable.
Amendment 1 isn’t a “workers’ rights” provision; it’s a union
leadership power play.
Guaranteeing union leadership powers through a constitutional
protection no other special interest group possesses would guarantee
voters’ voices would weaken.
And that’s not democracy.
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