SPRINGFIELD – Private and public sector unions will rule the state of Illinois with a constitutional amendment that passed the Illinois Senate Friday afternoon. Eleven (11) Republican senators and all voting Democrats supported the measure that would ban any "right to work" effort in Illinois.
Three Republican senators were in such strong support of banning right to work in Illinois, they co-sponsored the measure:
READ: IR EDITORIAL: TIME FOR IL GOP SENATOR DAN MCCONCHIE TO RESIGN AS MINORITY LEADER
Here's what a Wirepoints commentary says about Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 11 :
… The amendment, if passed by three-fifths votes in each chamber and approved by voters, would prohibit municipalities and the state from ever taking any measure that would impair the ability of workers to collectively bargain over wages, hours, terms and conditions.
In other words, it would constitutionally ban any attempt to reform collective bargaining rules for both public and private unions. The resolutions, including links to the text, are here and here. The amendment would also effectively ban any right-to-work movement.
SJRCA 11, analysts say, adds to the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution that employees shall have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and working conditions, and to protect their economic welfare and safety at work.
It prohibits any law state or local 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 workplace safety, including any law or ordinance that prohibits the execution or application of agreements between employers and labor organizations that represent employees requiring membership in an organization as a condition of employment.
That means, observers say, requiring union membership and the fees, expenses, etc., unions require cannot be stifled in anyway – such as any effort that would give workers the right to choose whether they want to be union members.
Groups that signed on in opposition to the measure include the Technology & Manufacturing Association, the Illinois Municipal League and 120 other business groups. Their cautions were ignored and there was no opposition voiced during the Senate floor debate.
Below is the roll call for Friday's vote. The 11 Republican senators joined the Democrat super-majority in voting yes are Anderson; Bryant; Curran; DeWitte; Fowler; McClure; Rezin; Rose; Stoller; Syverson and Wilcox.
The measure will now go to the Illinois House. If it passes there, the question of whether or not to amend the Illinois Constitution in such a way will be on the 2022 Illinois General Election ballot.
